ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will oppose in the Council of Ministers proposals providing for journey time of longer than eight hours for all animals travelling for slaughter or further fattening;
	(2)  if she will make representations for EU regulations on the maximum legally permitted temperature at which animals can be transported to be reduced; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  if she will make representations for EU regulations on the maximum stocking densities for animals in transit to be reduced to allow animals to (a) reposition themselves so as not to fall and (b) lie down comfortably; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: These are all important matters that were considered at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26 April. The talks failed as the Presidency could not secure a qualified majority for its proposals, which in our opinion failed to do enough to improve animal welfare. For this reason the UK was among those member states which could not support the Presidency.

Avian Flu

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with Asian countries in order   to ensure that surveillance of the vaccination programme to combat the bird influenza outbreak in chickens is rigorous enough to spot the evolution of new strains of the virus.

Ben Bradshaw: We have had no direct contact on this issue. Our key protection against the disease is to control or ban imports. That operates regardless of the strain. We have received reports on the outbreak through the OIE and from EU representatives in south east Asia and have acted immediately to ban imports from wherever the disease has occurred.
	Thailand is the only country in the region from which imports of poultry products were permitted prior to the   outbreak of avian influenza. Imports of poultry products which could transmit the virus have been stopped and will be allowed to resume only once it is clear that the disease has been eradicated. Thailand has reported that it has not used vaccination in its efforts to eradicate the disease.

Battery Cages

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many inspections have been carried out on battery cage systems in the past 12 months; how many breaches of the law were found; whether there was full compliance with the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (England) 2002 requirement that each hen should be given at least 550 square centimetres space; what action has been taken to address breaches of UK legislation; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: From the 1 April 2003–31 March 2004 there were 95 inspections carried out on battery cage systems in England.
	There were 19 breaches of welfare law found. Of the 19 breaches, two revealed a failure to comply with the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (England) 2002 requirement that each hen should be given at least 550 square centimetres space.
	Action taken to address breaches of UK legislation is as follows:
	(a) Advisory letter informing of legislative requirements and outlining corrective action is sent in all cases.
	(b) In all cases where failure to comply with legislation is found, a follow up visit is made to ensure no unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress is disclosed. If unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress occurs then further action will be taken.
	(c) A Regulation 11 Improvement notice requiring corrective action may be served if an owner appears uncooperative or does not take action to comply with the advisory letter.
	(d) Statement from inspector and initiate prosecution procedures where there is failure to comply or unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress occurs.
	(e) Further action in addition to the above is dependent pending on additional reports of follow up visits.
	(f) No further action may be recommended following a further report e.g. farm depopulated or no longer keeping poultry.
	In the two breaches of the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (England) 2002 referred to above concerning space per hen, the farmers were sent an advisory letter. At the follow up visit they were in compliance with the Regulations.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the feasibility of recolonising areas cleared of TB infected badgers from areas in the UK colonised by badgers which are known to be free from TB infection.

Ben Bradshaw: No such assessment has been made.
	Translocating animals is not a straightforward process. There are significant welfare implications for the animals concerned that need to be fully assessed prior to any animal movements. In addition, there do not appear to be any good reasons to translocate badgers from areas of low TB incidence to areas of high incidence.

Animal Disease Compensation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State   for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her proposals for the Compensation Scheme Review.

Ben Bradshaw: The consultation period on proposals for rationalising compensation for notifiable animal diseases ended on 7 January this year.
	The results of the consultation have been analysed and a summary of the responses posted on the Defra website.
	In light of the responses, officials are considering how best to take the policy forward.

Environmental Protection

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government funding was available in each of the past three years to the Tidy Britain campaign.

Alun Michael: Government funding was provided to Encams (formerly Tidy Britain Group) as follows:
	
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			 2001–02 3,762 
			 2002–03 (1)4,597 
			 2003–04 3,574 
		
	
	(1) Defra allocated an additional 1 million to local authorities through ENCAMS for the Local Environmental Quality Pathfinder Programme that forged partnerships between local authorities and the local community. Some of the projects developed reduced fast food litter, railway land litter and schools litter.

EU Directives

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which European Union directives for which her Department has responsibility were not transposed into UK law before the passing of the transposition deadlines in each of the last five years.

Alun Michael: While every effort is made to ensure that transposition deadlines are met, it is inevitable that this will not always be the case. Transposition can be complex, and it is important that timely transposition is balanced against other objectives, such as avoiding over implementation and unnecessary regulation. In most cases these directives require transposition by the devolved Administrations as well as at Westminster and in some cases also in Gibraltar.
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plays a leading role in the United Kingdom's EU policy on the environment, agriculture, fisheries, animal and plant health. Between 8 June 2001 and 31 December 2003, 42 EU directives were not fully transposed across the whole of the UK by the transposition deadline. Of these, 88 per cent. have now been transposed.
	A table listing the directives that have not been transposed into UK law before the transposition deadlines had passed has been placed in the Library of the House.

Farm Income

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list which EU member states (a) intend to make single farm payments to fruit growers and (b) do not.

Alun Michael: Under EU legislation governing the Single Payment Scheme, land under permanent crops, including top fruit, is not eligible to use in support of a payment claim in any member state. However, land used to grow soft fruit will be eligible in those member states and regions which adopt the flat rate or 'hybrid' payment models. Our current understanding is that Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Luxembourg, in addition to England, Northern Ireland, are likely to adopt such models. We expect that no payments will be made in respect of land used for fruit production in the remaining member states, nor in Scotland and Wales.

Fast Food Outlets

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) risk to human health and (b) impact on the environment of discarded waste from fast food outlets; what action she requires to be taken to deal with this problem, and by whom; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Government's approach to cutting fast food litter, with the voluntary code we have promoted resulting in a 20 per cent. cut in fast food litter in pilot areas compared with a general worsening by 12 per cent. across the country between 2002 and 2003. The challenge now is for all concerned to put the lessons into practice.
	In October 2003 Defra launched a consultation exercise in order to establish a Voluntary Code of Practice for the Fast Food Industry, following 18 months of research with industry representatives. Defra commissioned ENCAMS (formerly Tidy Britain Group) to develop the voluntary code. In February we published the Local Environmental Quality Survey for England 2002–03 (LEQSE) carried out by ENCAMS which showed fast food litter had increased by 12 per cent. over the last year, and that it had become more widespread. However, with practical application of the code's recommendations, a good practice example project led to a 20 per cent. reduction in fast food littering.
	The aim of the proposed voluntary code of practice is to reduce fast food litter and waste that becomes litter in the local environment by outlining best practice and recommendations for action to be taken by all fast food retailers working with local authorities and seeking to involve the local public. It will allow all parties to work together in a mutually supportive partnership, to find local solutions to local problems.
	In addition the Government are involved in studies regarding the health effects of waste management processes, although these have not been concerned with small scale local issues such as commercial waste from food outlets. These are dealt with effectively by way of local authority Environmental Health Officers.

Fertilisers

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to make the regulations for (a) the manufacture and (b) the supply of ammonium nitrate fertiliser more stringent;
	(2)  what measures her Department and its predecessors have taken to control the manufacture, storage and use of ammonium nitrate fertiliser;
	(3)  how many tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser was manufactured in the United Kingdom in each year since 2000.

Alun Michael: The Government have taken a number of measures to control the manufacture, storage and use of AN fertiliser in the general climate of heightened security. We need to balance the risks of potential misuse associated with AN against its clear and proven benefits in supporting food output in this country.
	The Government have been working with the fertiliser industry to improve controls in the storage and supply chain of AN. We have endorsed industry guidelines which advise producers and sellers of AN fertiliser to:
	sell only to known, bona fide customers, in particular those who have a credit account;
	refrain from making cash sales;
	ask questions to potential buyers of AN fertiliser to establish their knowledge of agriculture;
	in the case of suspicious inquiries, to record and notify the police of the purchaser's name and address (verified by documentary proof such as details from a driving licence) and full details of the inquirer's vehicle, including the registration number.
	We are continuing our dialogue with industry and have asked them to produce a code of practice to encourage direct deliveries from manufacturers to farmers to shorten supply chains and ensure better traceability. We have also endorsed industry guidance, produced in collaboration with farmers unions and the police, on 'Security of Fertiliser Storage on Farm'.
	To supplement the voluntary measures, Defra has introduced regulations to control the supply of both home produced and imported AN. The regulations require AN fertiliser, with a high nitrogen content, including mixtures, to have satisfied a Detonation Resistance Test and all sellers have to maintain records of sales.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a self-help checklist to all those known to be handling or storing significant quantities of AN. The checklist has been distributed widely. It is aimed at spreading good practice and offering HSE as a source of further advice. Additionally, HSE has lowered the notification threshold under the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 from 500 to 150 tonnes and widened the range of products to be included in the notifications.
	The regulations governing the manufacture and supply of AN fertilisers are kept under continuous review and further measures will be taken if necessary.
	The following amounts of ammonium nitrate (AN) fertiliser have been manufactured in the United Kingdom since 2000:
	
		
			  Thousand tonnes 
		
		
			 2000 1,263 
			 2001 952 
			 2002 1,181 
			 2003 1,250 
		
	
	The reduction in manufacturing output in 2001 was a consequence of the foot and mouth disease outbreak and an exceptionally wet autumn which, together, led to a fall in demand for AN.

Fishing Industry

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the use of pelagic fishing gear for the fishing of demersal species;
	(2)  whether her Department classifies sea bass as a (a) pelagic or (b) demersal species.

Ben Bradshaw: Pelagic fishing gear is normally used for shoaling mid-water swimming species such as mackerel, pilchards and sprats. Other species of fish may also be taken as a bycatch when pelagic gear is used and these may include demersal species.
	Sea bass can be taken in both pelagic (that is, fished in mid-water) and demersal (fished in contact with the seabed) gears and so could be classed as either pelagic or demersal since its behaviour at different times of the year leads it to swim in mid-water or near the bottom.

Horse Passports

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horse passports had been issued by the issuing authorities by 1 May; how many applications received are awaiting issue; how many she expects to be issued by 30 June; and what percentage of the horse-owning population she expects to comply.

Alun Michael: As of 1 May, Defra have been notified of a minimum of 179,000 passports issued. This figure will increase as we are waiting for some Passport Issuing Organisations to inform us about how many passports they have issued.
	The above figure includes passports returned to Passport Issuing Organisations for updating in order that they meet the new European requirements.
	Passport Issuing Organisations based in England have approximately 37,000 outstanding passport applications.
	All horse owners will be expected to comply with the regulations.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter to her from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 15 March 2004 with regard to Jo Hopkin.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State responded on 14 May.

Mayor of London

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list (a) the official meetings she has had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 and (b) the dates and subject of each meeting.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 4 May 2004
	No such meetings have taken place.

Meat and Livestock Commission

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the conditions are for repayment attached to the loan to the Meat and Livestock Commission in respect of the welfare scheme which operated during the foot and mouth disease outbreak; and whether the loan has been repaid.

Ben Bradshaw: The Pig Industry Development Scheme (PIDS) was initiated in March 2001 to establish an industry fund to help provide advice, services, facilities and financial assistance to British pig producers to assist with the prevention of exotic pig diseases such as Classical Swine Fever, and/or to help minimise their impact. Collection of this industry levy was delayed due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak of that year. In April 2001 the then MAFF and the Meat and Livestock Commission concluded a loan agreement to enable early payment of the industry top-up to producers.
	Under the terms of the loan agreement, repayment, including interest, was due on 31 July 2003. However problems associated with the unforseen decline in pig slaughterings delayed the collection of the levy from pig producers to repay the loan. By mutual agreement the loan deadline was extended to 31 December 2003 and repayment was made by that date, including the interest to that date.
	The PIDS levy on slaughterings was reduced to zero in August 2003; however the scheme is to remain open for the foreseeable future with the facility to increase the levy if required.

New Forest

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to announce her decision on the designation of the New Forest as a National Park.

Alun Michael: I am currently considering the Inspector's report. No announcement can be made until that consideration is complete.

Potato Ring Rot

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the itinerary was for the transport from the country of origin to the final country of destination of the potatoes which brought potato ring-rot into the UK.

Ben Bradshaw: As Defra's Final Report into the 2003 Ring Rot Outbreak in the UK makes clear, it has not been possible to trace the origin of infection which resulted in the ring rot outbreak in Wales. However, Appendix VI of the Report (see http://defra.gov.uk/planth/ring/repfinal/app6.pdf) outlines the itinerary for the Provento seed potatoes which were supplied to the Welsh farm, from which the crop was grown which resulted in the outbreak. This Appendix was prepared by the Dutch Plant Protection Service who gave permission for it to be published as part of Defra's Report.
	In essence, the Dutch report indicates that the seed potatoes were exported from the Netherlands to Honduras on 26 September 2002. The consignment was refused entry to Honduras because it did not meet their requirements on the absence of soil (not because of a concern with the potatoes) and was returned to the Netherlands on 5 December 2002. Following re-sorting and re-bagging, to remove potatoes which had sprouted, the seed potatoes were split into different lots which were then sent directly to various destinations (Wales, Portugal, Iraq, Honduras and Ukraine) between the period 5 December 2002 and 1 May 2003.

Specialist Fermentation Sector

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the size of the specialist fermentation sector of the food industry is in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Europe.

Alun Michael: For beer, UK production in the 2001–02 financial year was 57 million hectolitres compared with 254 million hectolitres in the rest of the EU in 2002. For cider, UK production was 4.9 million hectolitres in 2001–02 compared with 5.1 million hectolitres in the rest of the EU in 2000.

Tobacco

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much EU funding was given to growing tobacco in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will list the countries which benefited.

Alun Michael: The main recipients of tobacco subsidies are Greece, Italy, Spain and France. A table showing the tobacco premiums paid in each of the EU member states which benefited is as follows.
	
		EU expenditure on tobacco premiums in 2002
		
			  € million 
		
		
			 Greece 369 
			 Italy 330.8 
			 Spain 115.4 
			 France 80.4 
			 Germany 35.1 
			 Portugal 16.3 
			 Belgium 3.9 
			 Austria 0.9 
			 Total 951.8 
		
	
	Source:
	EU Commission

Two Tree Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which species of wildlife (a) inhabit and (b) visit Two Tree Island in the Thames during a typical year.

Ben Bradshaw: Two Tree Island is split into two areas, eastern and western. The eastern part of Two Tree Island consists of a small tidal island with the adjoining saltmarsh (86 acres) and a large area of inter-tidal mudflats (271 acres). It is part of Leigh National Nature Reserve.
	The mudflats are noted for their dense, vigorous growth of eel grass species, which, together with a large resource of invertebrates, support nationally and internationally important numbers of dark-bellied Brent geese and waders, such as grey plover and knot. Waders such as curlew, dunlin, and redshank, occur in significant numbers outside the breeding season. The nearby Leigh cockle sheds bring winter flocks of turnstone close inshore and attract some of the rarer gull species.
	The saltmarshes are the most important on the north side of the Thames Estuary. They are of considerable botanical interest being noted for the five glasswort species that occur there. Sea aster, with small cord-grass, common cord-grass and glasswort species are found on the lower marshes, while sea purslane dominates the upper marshes. In addition the area also supports other saltmarsh plants such as golden samphire, sea wormwood, common and lax-flowered sea lavenders.
	At its western tip a range of birds can be seen such as redshank and heron. The island itself consists mainly of grassland and scrub, with the former rubbish tip supporting a number of interesting alien plants and 'escapes'. A wide variety of birds can be seen at its western tip, including kestrels and short-eared owls during the winter, hunting for field voles. Grass snakes and lizards are seen. Insects of note include the marbled white butterfly, Roesel's bush cricket, the house cricket and the lesser marsh grasshopper.

TRANSPORT

Railway Lines

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway lines have been reopened since 1 May 1997.

Kim Howells: Between 1996–97 and 2003–04 the total length of railway open to passenger traffic has increased from 15,034 kilometres to 15,042 kilometres.

Rail Review

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in the Rail Review.

Tony McNulty: The review is progressing and as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, said in his statement to the House on 19 January, we will publish proposals in the summer.

Noisy Roads

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on measures to address the problem of noisy roads.

David Jamieson: The Government recognises that traffic noise from main roads can be a nuisance. Our strategy is to set vehicle construction standards that reduce noise at source wherever feasible and desirable on safety grounds. We also encourage the mitigation of noise with insulation, barriers, traffic management measures and low noise surfaces.

Global Warming

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the threat to strategic road and rail routes from global warming.

Tony McNulty: The Department is aware that climate change will have a profound impact on both the Department's work and that of the delivery agencies. To   this end, assessments have been made by the Department, the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the Highways Agency. The Department's report can be found on our website and copies of this and of the other reports can be found in both libraries of the House.

Transport (Nottingham)

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with Nottingham city council on transport issues in the city.

Tony McNulty: When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport visited Nottingham to launch Line One of the Nottingham Express Transit system, he also attended a meeting with the Greater Nottingham Transport Partnership (on which the City and county councils are represented). A number of issues relating to transport in Nottingham were raised.

Offshore Wind Farms

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure that shipping lanes are not impeded by off-shore wind farms.

David Jamieson: Government have assured the shipping and ports industries that offshore wind farms will not be sited where they present a danger to navigation. No offshore wind farms can be constructed without Government consents. Full consultation with the shipping and ports industries will be undertaken before any consent granted.

Bus Services

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the sources are of the statistics published by his Department on (a) bus reliability, (b) bus punctuality and (c) bus patronage; whether independent audits are conducted to verify the source data and the methods used to produce these statistics; and if he will place source information and methodology statements in the Library.

Tony McNulty: The statistics published on bus reliability and patronage are based on returns completed by bus operators. There are currently no statistics on bus punctuality. The bus patronage data are collected via a statutory survey under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947. The bus reliability survey is voluntary. When received, the raw data are treated as Restricted-Commercial and are not released to other parties, except with the permission of the operators themselves.
	The methods used were examined in the National Statistics Quality Review which was carried out by WS Atkins Ltd. in 2002–03 and published on 6 August 2003. Short descriptions of the methods used for estimating bus reliability and patronage statistics are included in the review, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons Library.

Bus Services

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list bus usage in terms of (a) number of passengers and (b) passenger kilometres in each year since 1997, broken down by region.

Tony McNulty: The estimates of local bus usage in terms of passenger journeys for the years 1997–98 to 2002–03 are given in the following table. Estimates of passenger kilometres are only available for London and are given in the final row of the table.
	
		Million passenger journeys
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 North East 262 253 252 243 241 237 
			 North West 507 509 493 489 480 485 
			 Yorks and Humberside 411 386 381 374 369 37 7 
			 West Midlands 464 447 450 454 447 439 
			 East Midlands 209 212 210 210 210 212 
			 Eastern 163 165 167 170 172 167 
			 London 1,294 1,279 1,307 1,359 1,434 1,542 
			 South East 272 287 289 282 276 268 
			 South West 191 183 182 179 175 175 
			 England 3,773 3,719 3,732 3,760 3,804 3,901 
			 London (million passenger kilometres) 4,350 4,315 4,429 4,709 5,128 5,721 
		
	
	The estimates for passenger journeys are taken from Table 13 of the "Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2003 Edition", copies of which are held in the Libraries of the House.

Car Sharing

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding has been made available to local authorities specifically to promote car-sharing, car clubs, education programmes to promote walking and cycling or other soft measures to address transport issues in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: In general, revenue funding provided to local authorities is not dedicated to specific purposes in this way. We have, however, provided some ring- fenced funding to local authorities through our bursary scheme for the employment of school and workplace travel plan co-ordinators at a cost of £3 million per annum for the three years from April 2001 to March 2004. From April 2004, the bursary scheme has been focussed on school travel plan co-ordinators, and its value has increased to £7.5 million per year (joint with DfES).

Car Sharing

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Government have made of car-sharing within schools as a means of reducing congestion associated with the school run.

Tony McNulty: The Department has commissioned research to identify the most successful school travel plans in the country and what has made these plans successful. We shall be publishing good practice guidance drawn from this research under the title "Making School Travel Plans Work" later this year. The guidance will include information on car-sharing initiatives where these have contributed to the wider success of school travel plans. We already know of a number of individual car-sharing initiatives that have been effective in reducing the number of cars taking children to school, and that many families make their own informal arrangements for sharing.

Crossrail

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Crossrail project; and what the level of Government involvement in the project is.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is currently considering Adrian Montague's detailed advice on Crossrail and will publish his findings in due course.

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for   Transport how much the production of his Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Tony McNulty: The Department's Annual Report was published on 30 April 2004 and is freely available on the DfT website.
	1,100 copies of the report were printed. To date, a total of approximately 250 copies have been provided free of charge to the House Libraries, the Transport Select Committee, Department for Transport Ministers and officials, and to other Government Departments. The Stationery Office (TSO) has taken 700 copies for sale. Data on the level of sales is not yet available.
	The total cost of the Annual Report was £34,820 excluding VAT.

Driving Standards Agency

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what statutory basis the Chief Executive, Chief Driving Examiner and the directors of the Driving Standards Agency have withheld their salary and performance pay from being disclosed in the Driving Standards Agency's Annual Report.

David Jamieson: The Driving Standards Agency is a Trading Fund. HM Treasury accounting guidance for Trading Funds allows for non-disclosure of the remuneration of the Chief Executive, the Chief Driving Examiner and the full-time directors in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts, provided that consent to non-disclosure is noted.

Harassment Contact Officers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many harassment contact officers were employed by his Department on the last date for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport has a total of 86 harrassment contact officers.

MOTs

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for   Transport whether MOT garages were charged additional supplements for the MOT certificates they purchased from (a) the former Vehicle Inspectorate and (b) the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.

David Jamieson: No supplements have been added to MOT test certificate charges, levied on MOT testing stations, either by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency or, before April 2003, by the Vehicle Inspectorate.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many train services have been cut, and on which lines, as a result of the Strategic Rail Authority's policy of selective thinning of train services;
	(2)  what criteria are used by the Strategic Rail Authority to implement the objective of selective thinning of train services.

Alistair Darling: The Strategic Rail Authority has no policy of selective thinning of train services. The changes to the May and September 2003 timetables for Virgin Cross Country, Central Trains, South West Trains, Wessex, Arriva Trains Northern and Wales and Borders represent less than 1 per cent. of the daily services. They were made to improve performance and reliability through better capacity utilisation. The main changes were to Virgin Cross Country where they contributed to a 25 per cent. improvement in performance.

Railways

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce his findings on the review of the railways while Parliament is in session.

Tony McNulty: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport said in his statement to the House on 19 January, the rail review will publish its proposals in the summer.

Railways

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the new train operators serving London and the south east showed the greatest improvement in punctuality between the third quarter of 2003–04 and the third quarter of 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The biggest improvement was at West Anglia Great Northern. Its average performance for the year to the end of quarter three 2003–04 was 82.3 per cent. compared with 77.9 per cent. for the year to the end of quarter three 2002–03.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 410W, on railways, how many of the sites identified have (a) been put up for sale, (b) been sold and (c) are under offer.

Alistair Darling: Of the 36 sites identified by the Strategic Rail Authority as suitable for disposal, 20 have been put up for sale; of these, four have been sold, 12 are under offer and four are still for sale. This is shown in the following table.
	
		SRA sites released for disposal since end 2002
		
			 Map reference Location Site description Status 
		
		
			 G-HAS-13–1 Alloa Site of former crossing at Hilton Road Whinhill Under offer 
			 LNW-GC-4–2 Aylesbury Railway club and sports ground Perm Road Under offer 
			 BI-DB-27–6 Banbury Fields by Woodford closed line Under offer 
			 BI-DB-27–8 Banbury South end of closed line in Woodford Halse Under offer 
			 LS-ECO-2–1 Bexhill Former Galley Hill sidings For sale 
			 BI-FFD-1–1 Brize Norton Part of former Fairford branch — 
			 BI-FFD-1–2 Cassington Part of former Fairford branch — 
			 W-LNW-ER-45–1 Castlethorpe Former goods yard Under offer 
			 BR-XBS-34–34 Challow Former station yard — 
			 LNE-CWN-2–1 Colchester Town Lower Yard, Magdalene Street — 
			 BI-KEM-19–1 Corby Land at Cottingham Road Sold 
			 LNW-TL-38–1 Dunstable Land at Skimpot Road/Jeans Way — 
			 LNW-TL-23–2 Elstree Former goods yard — 
			 BR-WSP-30–30 Exeter Former goods yard — 
			 BR-WSP-26–26 Exeter Land and building (Red House) Sold 
			 BR-WSP-29–29 Exeter Tan Lane former goods yard — 
			 M-SOG-18–1 Formby Andrew's Lane Sold 
			 BR-XFR-3–3 Frome Former east goods yard — 
			 G-EG-4–1 Glasgow Eastfield Depot Under offer 
			 LS-WCO-10–1 Goring-by-Sea Land south of railway — 
			 LS-DCE-1–1 Greenhithe Land by station — 
			 Y-ALS-1–1 Haltwhistle Alston branch Under offer 
			 BR-FWB-5–5 Hullavington Former goods yard — 
			 M-MVE-104/105/106–1 Horwich Land at site of former railway works Under offer 
			 Y-LNO-1–7 Hunslet Land between Ivory Street and Jack lane For sale 
			 G-HAS-19–2 Kincardine Plot of land beneath electricity pylon Under offer 
			 LNE-EKL-23–1 Kings Lynn Land at Extons Place — 
			 BI-FFD-1–3 Lechlade Part of former Fairford branch — 
			 M-LPN-40–1 Liverpool, James Street Moor House Under offer 
			 G-RWR-1–1 Melrose Leaderfoot Viaduct — 
			 M-GOO-2–15 Reddish Former depot, Wayland Road For sale 
			 LS-WCO-22–4 Shoreham-by-Sea Land at Queens Place Under offer 
			 LS-TH-4–1 Tunbridge Wells Former goods yard For sale 
			 BI-SWR-42–1 Walsall Land off Littleton Street West Under offer 
			 W-LNW-ER-20–7 Watford Wiggenhall Road Sold 
			 LS-BML-5–12 Wivelsfield Land at Rockery Lane —

Road Accidents (Tired Drivers)

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest assessment is of the number of   accidents attributable to sleep and microsleep on roads.

David Jamieson: Research studies indicate that driver sleepiness accounts for 15–20 per cent. of accidents on motorways and similar roads and for about 10 per cent. of all accidents on the road network in Great Britain.

Tonnage Tax Scheme

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the Department for Transport is monitoring changes in (a) training and (b) employment positions for seafaring ratings generated by the tonnage tax scheme.

David Jamieson: As part of its annual application for approval of a core training commitment, each tonnage tax company or group is required to provide a breakdown of the number of deck and engine ratings employed on its ships according to whether they are British, other European Economic Area (EEA), or other, non-EEA, nationality. The company or group is also required to state which of the training and employment recommendations of the Ratings Task Force it expects to implement.
	Where a company is meeting part of its training commitment in respect of officers by employing apprentices or ratings to officer conversion trainees, this is reported to us on end of period adjustment reports due three times a year.

Tonnage Tax Scheme

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has put in place to ensure that companies do not remove themselves from the 10-year obligation to the UK shipping industry tonnage tax regime by switching registers.

David Jamieson: None. The act of a tonnage tax company in switching vessels from one register to another does not remove those vessels from the tonnage tax regime or change the obligations of the company under the tax.

Transport Direct

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by his Department on Transport Direct, broken down by year; and how this has changed since original estimates of the cost of the work were made.

Kim Howells: The total spend up to March 2002 was £0.7 million. The spend for 2002–03 was £2.8 million (original estimate £5.0 million), while the spend for   2003–04 was £13.2 million (original estimate £23.0 million).

Vehicle Activated Signs

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of reductions in traffic accident rates at vehicle activated sign sites; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Vehicle activated signs are used predominately where there are concerns about inappropriate speed. They are not designed to deal with excessive speed. Research into the effectiveness of vehicle activated signs at a range of locations was carried out by TRL Ltd. on behalf of the Department for Transport in 2002. Results of this work concluded that across all sites there was a 31 per cent. reduction in accidents following installation. In addition where vehicle activated signs were used to remind the driver of the speed limit in force, speed reductions of between three and nine mph were achieved. Where installed to warn drivers of a potential hazard, reductions of up to seven mph were achieved. Guidance on the use of vehicle activated signs is available in the Libraries of the House (Ref: Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/03—Vehicle Activated Signs).

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for   Transport if he will make a statement on the (a) financial arrangements and (b) resources provided for the merger between the Vehicle Inspectorate and the Traffic Area Network in 2003.

David Jamieson: As part of a merger between the Vehicle Inspectorate and Traffic Area Network a new Trading Fund named Vehicle and Operator Services Agency was established. All income and expenditure of the merged organisation is accounted for within the new Trading Fund.
	Resources for supporting and delivering the merger are funded from within the Trading Fund. This includes project management support, ICT and process integration, Agency name and branding changes and harmonisation of pay.

DEFENCE

Departmental Executive Agencies

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) resource provision and (b) outturn for his Department's executive non-departmental public bodies was for financial years (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03.

Adam Ingram: The executive non-departmental public bodies produced their own sets of accounts for these years, and these are available in the Library of the House. Non-departmental bodies secure funding fortheir operations from various sources. The Department's contribution to these bodies is generally in the form of grants-in-aid, and this has been disclosed in Note 10 of the Departmental Resource Accounts for the respective years. The bodies would normally draw down their full grant-in-aid provision.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

School Outdoor Pursuits

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to promote adventure holidays and other outdoor pursuits in schools; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The issue of adventure holidays and outdoor pursuits within schools is a matter for the Department for Education and Skills. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Mr. Twigg) on 13 May 2004, Official Report, column 540W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 5 April with regard to Ms Catherine Thompson.

Yvette Cooper: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 17 May 2004.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 5 April, with regard to Ms Catherine Thompson.

Yvette Cooper: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 17 May 2004.

Decent Homes Standard

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his target was for the proportion of houses brought up to the Decent Homes Standard by 1 April; and what proportion was achieved by that date, broken down by housing sector.

Keith Hill: The milestone for 1 April was
	"to achieve a reduction of one third in the number of non-decent social sector homes over the 2001 baseline."
	It will be met if the estimates reported by local authorities through their Business Plan Statistical returns and the regulatory returns from housing associations submitted in July 2004 (stating the number of non-decent homes as at 1 April 2004), show that in aggregate the number of non-decent dwellings has reduced by at least one third reduction since 2001; and the 2004–05 continuous EHCS (reporting in October 2005) confirms there are 1.1 million or fewer non-decent social sector dwellings.
	The target was for both sectors combined not each sector separately. Our estimate, based on local authority and registered social landlord (RSL) out-turn data up to the end March 2003 and their plans to March 2004, shows a 26 per cent. reduction across both sectors. Local authorities show a 32 per cent. reduction taking into account the stock they transferred. There was a 6 per cent. reduction in the RSL sector, which takes into account all the non-decent stock they receive through stock transferred from local authorities.

Regional Assemblies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Guidance on the Government use of Public Relations Consultants, Annex B to Guidance on the work of the Government Information Service, paragraph 6, on what grounds he decided that the core components of the Your Say information campaign on elected regional assemblies could not be carried out by the Government's own employees.

Nick Raynsford: No public relations consultants have been appointed to work on this campaign. All the relevant PR activity has been undertaken by Government employees.
	The marketing and advertising arm of Robson Brown have been contracted to work on other aspects of the campaign, including branding, leaflet design, event management and advertising. This is in line with current guidance and normal practice.

Empty Homes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average number of empty homes in the United Kingdom was in each year since 1997, broken down by area.

Keith Hill: The available information on empty residential dwellings in England by Government Office region is in the table. This data has been provided from a combination of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Housing Investment Programme return and Housing Corporation's Regulatory Statistical Return. The same information from similar sources for other parts of the United Kingdom is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Vacant dwelling stock, 1997–2003
		
			  2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 
		
		
			 North East 44,000 47,000 46,000 50,000 49,000 44,000 41,000 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside 88,000 94,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 86,000 81,000 
			 East Midlands 59,000 58,000 63,000 68,000 67,000 67,000 67,000 
			 Eastern 63,000 64,000 63,000 70,000 70,000 73,000 81,000 
			 London 101,000 101,000 105,000 105,000 114,000 114,000 122,000 
			 South East 81,000 85,000 86,000 87,000 95,000 96,000 101,000 
			 South West 76,000 71,000 68,000 64,000 67,000 70,000 78,000 
			 West Midlands 73,000 77,000 79,000 80,000 77,000 78,000 73,000 
			 North West 135,000 136,000 141,000 138,000 127,000 126,000 125,000 
			 England 720,000 732,000 751,000 761,000 767,000 753,000 767,000 
		
	
	Sources:
	ODPM's Housing Investment Programme return and Housing Corporation's Regulatory Statistical Return.
	Figures presented to the nearest thousand

High Hedges

James Paice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects local authorities to be able to use the powers provided by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 to deal with high hedges.

Yvette Cooper: The powers to deal with complaints about high hedges given to local authorities by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 are expected to be fully operational towards the end of 2004. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently conducting a public consultation in England on how the legislation will work in practice.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes in the United Kingdom were classed as overcrowded in each year since 1997, broken down by area.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Only 2 per cent. of households are overcrowded nationally; this means that annual estimates, derived from sample surveys such as the Survey of English Housing or the Family Resources Survey, of such a small target population are subject to considerable sampling error. For this reason reliable annual estimates cannot be produced at regional or sub-regional level.
	Although annual estimates cannot be produced at regional and sub-regional level, estimates can be produced for several years combined. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently produced two research reports into levels of overcrowding for the years 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03 combined, which are available on our website and the path to reach them is:
	"Home">"Housing">"Housing research">"Housing research reports">"The impact of overcrowding on health and education".

Housing

Clive Efford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to assist teachers in London with housing costs; what the reasons were for changing from 1 April the criteria by which teachers qualify for assistance with housing costs in London; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The Key Worker Living (KWL) programme which started on 1 April 2004 is helping teachers in London into home ownership and intermediate rented accommodation. It also offers teachers who are existing home owners help to buy a larger home to meet their household needs. The programme superseded the Starter Home Initiative which came to an end on 31 March.
	The assistance available under KWL is:
	(a) equity loans of up to £50,000 to buy a home on the open market or a newly-built property provided by a registered social landlord;
	(b) equity loans of up to £100,000 for school teachers in London with the potential to become leaders of London's education sector in the future;
	(c) shared ownership of newly-built properties where a share of the property is purchased and a reduced rent is paid on the remaining share;
	(d) intermediate renting of newly-built properties where the rent is set at a level below market rents.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not changed the eligibility criteria for the scheme: school teachers in London with seven or more points are eligible for up to £100,000 equity loan assistance; school teachers and Further Education teachers are also eligible for up to £50,000 equity loan assistance. Points are awarded under the scheme for:
	being an advanced skills teacher, a Commissioner's teacher, on the fast track teaching programme or past the Threshold;
	teaching in a shortage subject or in a challenging school;
	having management or leadership responsibilities.
	The eligibility criteria and the points system for the KWL programme were devised following discussions with the key worker sponsor Departments including Department for Education and Skills.
	A key aim of KWL is to retain more experienced teachers in London. Since the scheme was launched we have received over 1,600 applications in London. As the KWL budget is limited, school teachers in London with four points or more are being prioritised for assistance, and those with less than four points are being placed on the waiting list for assistance.
	Officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are keeping the situation under review and expectations are that some teachers on the waiting list will receive assistance as the scheme progresses.

Housing

Colin Burgon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to receive the final business case covering the Pathfinder scheme for Swarcliffe.

Keith Hill: Leeds City Council is aiming to submit a Final Business Case to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for late May or early June 2004.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost was of gap funding for housing transfers in each year since it was introduced; and what the projected costs are for the next financial year.

Keith Hill: No gap funding has been paid to date.   Regional Housing Boards (RHB) provisional allocations for 2004–05 are £1.029 million for the transfer of housing on the Tarling Estate and £1.759 million on the Crossways Estate both in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Provisional allocations for 2005–06 are a further £3.564 million for the transfer of housing on the Crossways Estate in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and £2.0 million for the transfer of the housing stock of North East Lincolnshire Council.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the annual cost of the extra gap funding he has announced for housing transfers in areas with negative equity; and whether gap funding allocations will be increased for such areas already in the process of transfer.

Keith Hill: The annual cost of any gap funding will be dependent on those authorities whose decent home delivery option appraisal determines that a negative value transfer is the best value for money option to pursue and who then secure a positive tenant ballot result. Those transfers already on the housing transfer programme have demonstrated they have deliverable transfer schemes and it is not anticipated that they should therefore require gap funding.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money has been committed to date for setting up arm's length management organisations for housing transfer; and on what basis this is allocated.

Keith Hill: Expenditure under the arm's length management organisation (Almo) programme to the end of 2003–04 has been approximately £365 million. Current commitments for 2004–05 and 2005–06 total £952 million, subject in some cases to Almos achieving at least a 2* rating from the Housing Inspectorate. Further allocations are subject to the outcome of the 2004 Spending Review. Expenditure on setting up Almos is a matter for the local authorities concerned. Under the Almo option the local authority remains the owner and landlord of the housing stock : no transfer of ownership occurs. Almo funding for work towards the Government's Decent Homes target is allocated on the basis of local authorities' bids, which are assessed against the criteria set out in the Almo Guidance published in March 2003.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how he has advised tenants who have rejected arm's length management organisations or transfers of housing stock to rethink their decision; what proposals he has for facilitating this; and what sanctions and resources he proposes to bring to bear to facilitate rethinking.

Keith Hill: Where tenants have rejected transfer and arm's length management organisations prior to local authorities being required to have an option appraisal signed off by Government Offices they will be asked to undertake an option appraisal. Guidance on option appraisal makes it clear that local authorities should engage with their tenants from the very beginning of the option appraisal process. The decision on which option to pursue should therefore incorporate the views of tenants before any ballot is held. Effective tenant engagement is a key criterion of the option appraisal assessment process and appraisals will not be signed off unless this has been achieved.
	The Community Housing Task Force (CHTF) is the main resource available to assist councils and their tenants in delivering option appraisals. Tenants may also seek advice from their Independent Tenant Adviser (ITA). Further training and capacity building for tenants to help them with options appraisal is funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and provided via the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS), PEP and the National Tenants Resource Centre (NTRC).
	If tenants subsequently reject all options that deliver extra resources and the option appraisal process has been effectively undertaken then the wishes of the tenants will be respected and they will not be forced into accepting the options available.

Renewal Areas (Physical Activity)

Don Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit has commissioned into the barriers that stop sport and renewal working together more closely.

Yvette Cooper: The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) has recently received the report from a study on joint working between sport and neighbourhood renewal agencies. The research aims were to identify existing arrangements for joint working, to highlight barriers to further integration, and to provide suggestions for overcoming these in the future.
	The report finds that at both the regional and local levels, joint working is generally underdeveloped. Where joint working does occur, projects are rarely focused on the achievement of well-defined outcomes or targeted towards influencing mainstream services. There is incomplete data on sporting participation in deprived areas and amongst specific groups. There are also few explicit targets for raising participation and a lack of incentives for joint working. Nevertheless, there are some noteworthy examples of joint strategic working between local authority health and education Departments and sport—in ways that will impact on deprived areas.
	In response to these findings, the NRU has produced a short practitioner guide for local and regional decision-makers and frontline workers in both sports and regeneration organisations. It explains the importance of linking sport and renewal activities, provides practical advice on how to do this, and shows where to find further resources and help.

Road Maintenance Expenditure

Damian Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether road maintenance expenditure as set out in figure 5a, page 49 of the Department for Transport Annual Report is met from the Revenue Support Grant administered by his office.

Nick Raynsford: Footnote 1 to Figure 5a: Local transport spending by central Government, page 49 of the Department for Transport Annual Report 2004 states "Excludes local transport expenditure on highway maintenance, concessionary fares and other public transport support that is funded by the Revenue Support Grant".

Road Maintenance Expenditure

Damian Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the amount spent by local authorities on road maintenance in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Nick Raynsford: Local authorities in England reported net current expenditure on highways maintenance in 2002–03 as £1,949 million.
	Source:
	2002–03 Revenue Outturn (R02) form

Sellers Packs

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress on the consultation on the operation of home sellers' packs.

Keith Hill: Wide-ranging consultation and extensive research by independent contractors have endorsed the benefits of home information packs in helping to make the home buying and selling process easier and more certain. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is   working closely with industry and consumer stakeholders on the detail of the proposals in order to ensure a smooth introduction of mandatory home information packs from January 2007. Many home buyers and sellers will not have to wait until 2007 to benefit from home information packs. An increasing number of estate agents, surveyors and conveyancers are operating pack schemes on a voluntary basis.

Sellers Packs

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had on the proposal by chartered surveyors to remove mandatory home condition reports from home sellers packs.

Keith Hill: None. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) supports the Government's proposals for mandatory home information packs, including a home condition report. These reports will provide at the start of the transaction process reliable information about the condition of the property. This information is important to the decisions buyers and sellers need to make and, along with other components of home information pack, will make home buying and selling more transparent and more certain.

Sellers Packs

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research he has undertaken on possible legal and insurance claims against surveyors in advance of the introduction of home condition reports.

Keith Hill: Home Inspectors preparing the home condition report will be required to have appropriate indemnity insurance to protect the home seller, a potential or actual buyer, and mortgage lender. With assistance from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Association of British Insurers and other industry stakeholders, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is carrying out research into the insurance requirements. This includes an analysis by insurance specialists Willis Ltd. of historic claims made against surveyors for negligent surveys to determine the average number of successful and unsuccessful claims as well as   the average sum paid and the cost of claims administration. We expect to publish an interim report very shortly.

Sellers Packs

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what charge he estimates will be levied for home condition reports.

Keith Hill: The home condition report will be a professional and objective report on the condition and energy efficiency of the property, which can be legally relied upon by sellers, buyers and mortgage lenders. It will be for the market to determine the price of home condition reports in practice and the point at which any charge is paid. Based on current prices, it is estimated that the report will cost about £300 on average (plus VAT). This estimate is based on a report on a three bedroom semi-detached house in a provincial town and can be compared with the typical costs of a building survey (£500 plus VAT) and mortgage lenders valuation report (£180).

Sellers Packs

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely impact on property prices of the introduction of home sellers' packs.

Keith Hill: The initial view of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is that the introduction of home information packs (HIPs) is unlikely to have a significant effect on property prices. This is supported by evidence from other countries that have introduced similar measures and by a survey carried out by the UK's largest estate agency group which suggested there would be little impact on the number of properties sold if HIPs were introduced. We will continue to keep this assessment under review during our discussions with stakeholders and consumer representatives on the final contents of the HIP.

Social Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the costs of repair and renovation of social housing over the next 10 years under (a) council ownership, (b) registered social landlord ownership and (c) arm's length management organisation ownership.

Keith Hill: Local authorities and registered social landlords are expected to put in place plans to meet the decent homes target by 2010.
	At 2001 there was an estimated backlog of £20 billion of repair and improvement work required for local authority housing. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects local authorities to have tackled the majority of this backlog by 2010.
	Local authorities have been asked to complete Option Appraisals by July 2005 in which they will consider, with their tenants and given their particular circumstances, which options will provide best value for money in meeting the decent homes target. They will take into account a variety of relevant factors including the trend in real construction costs and the scope for improved efficiency in carrying out this work.

Social Housing

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the total number of properties owned by (a) registered social landlords and (b) each of the 20 largest registered social landlords.

Keith Hill: Housing association (registered social landlord) stock in England as at 31 March 2003 was estimated at 1,728,000.
	The 20 largest housing associations (measured by stock) were as tabled following and together accounted for about 21 per cent. of the total housing association stock.
	
		
			 Name of housing association Total stock at 31 March 2003 
		
		
			 North British Housing Ltd 36,567 
			 Home Group Limited 28,558 
			 Anchor Trust 27,313 
			 Sanctuary Housing Association 25,927 
			 London and Quadrant Housing Trust 23,915 
			 The Guinness Trust 20,019 
			 Riverside Housing 19,889 
			 Knowsley Housing Trust 16,480 
			 Peabody Trust 16,432 
			 William Sutton Trust 15,726 
			 Northern Counties Housing Association Limited 15,575 
			 Hyde Housing Association Limited 14,518 
			 Helena Housing Limited 14,214 
			 Orbit Housing Association 14,171 
			 Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited 13,801 
			 Housing 21 12,558 
			 Focus Housing Association Limited 12,365 
			 Pennine Housing 2000 Limited 12,108 
			 Circle Thirty Three Housing Trust Limited 11,949 
			 Broomleigh Housing Association Limited 11,789 
		
	
	Source:
	Housing Corporation, Regulatory and Statistical Return 2003.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Hon. Members (Facilities)

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the total expenditure on facilities entirely for the use of hon. Members was in each year since 1995.

Archy Kirkwood: There are few facilities that are used exclusively by hon. Members. The facilities that are exclusively for Members include Members' Offices, the Smoking Room, the Chess Room, the three Lady Members' rooms, the Members' changing room and the Members' cloakroom. We do not have sufficient disaggregated data on the cost of running these facilities to provide the information requested.

House Employees

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many employees there were as at 1 January, in each year since 1995 in the House (a) Works Services Directorate, (b) Operations Directorate, (c) Personnel Policy Directorate, (d) Internal Review   Services Directorate, (e) Financial Management Directorate, (f) Communications Directorate and (g) Estates Directorate.

Archy Kirkwood: The information requested is as follows. The information is not available for 1 January; the reference date used is therefore 31 March. For 1 April 2002 and previous years the breakdown requested is not available, but more general information about the numbers of staff in House departments is available in the House of Commons Commission's Annual Reports for those covering years.
	
		Full time equivalents
		
			 Directorate Employees at 1 April 2003 Employees at 1 April 2004 
		
		
			 Works Services 138 141 
			 Operations (Department of   Finance and Administration) 74 75 
			 Personnel Policy 20 20 
			 Internal Review Services 6 7 
			 Financial Management 25 21 
			 Communications 60 69 
			 Estates 22 24

House of Commons (Running Costs)

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the total annual running costs were in each year since 1995 of the House (a) Works Services Directorate, (b) Operations Directorate, (c) Personnel Policy Directorate, (d) Internal Review Services Directorate, (e) Financial Management Directorate, (f) Communications Directorate and (g) Estates Directorate.

Archy Kirkwood: The table shows the annual costs to the House of running the named directorates since 1995–96. These are the administrative costs; they do not include capital expenditure, or the cost of general services provided for the House as a whole, but which are managed within each directorate's budgets. For example, the Estates Directorate pays rent and rent and rates for the whole of Parliament, but this is not included in the figures.
	Not all of the directorates have been in existence since 1995–96; costs are provided from the time of their establishment.
	
		All figures in £000
		
			 Directorate 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Works Services — — — — — — 2,728 2,525 2,646 
			 Operations — — — — — 1,453 1,746 1,810 1,973 
			 Personnel Policy — — — — — 418 330 280 323 
			 Internal Review Services 228 216 176 138 154 177 233 246 255 
			 btFinancial Management — — — — — 530 549 524 469 
			 Communications 334 741 1,278 1,663 1,661 1,620 1,825 2,390 2,954 
			 Estates — — — — — — 428 393 535

Officers of the House

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many officers other than Clerks there were in the House on 1 January in each year since 1995.

Archy Kirkwood: The information requested is as follows. The information is not available for 1 January each year; the reference date is therefore 31 March each year.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1995 110 
			 1996 113.5 
			 1997 118.5 
			 1998 118.5 
			 1999 122.5 
			 2000 127.5 
			 2001 132 
			 2002 (2)142 
			 2003 (2)141 
			 2004 (2)161 
		
	
	(2) Since 2002 the figures have been calculated as full time equivalents. Earlier figures are the numbers of individuals.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Aerosol Paints

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Department is taking in assisting the police to enforce the ban on sales of aerosol paints to under-16s.

Hazel Blears: We are in discussion with relevant stakeholders as to what further measures might be necessary to ensure the effective enforcement of these provisions.
	The Together Action Line—0870 220 2000—is also available to practitioners throughout England and Wales to provide help and support in tackling anti-social behaviour. This includes police officers with queries on the aerosol paint ban. Throughout March we ran a series of Together Academies across the country to help professionals develop best practice in addressing all forms of anti-social behaviour.
	These new powers are just one part of measures to tackle graffiti through our Together campaign on anti-social behaviour. For example, 12 pilot local authorities are testing new powers to clean graffiti from street furniture and public transport property. In addition our "name that tag" campaign, encouraging the public to report "taggers" sends a clear message to graffiti vandals that we will deal with the problem.

Animal Rights Activists

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animal rights activists have been arrested in the last 36 months, broken down by the type of offence for which they were arrested; how many were convicted; and what sentences were passed on those convicted.

Caroline Flint: It is not possible from the information collected centrally by the Home Office to identify whether a defendant is an animal rights activist.
	However we understand from the police that there were 117 arrests of animal rights activists during the first four months of 2004 compared with 15 arrests during the same period in 2003.

Animal Rights Activists

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the   Home Department how many companies and organisations have reported illegal actions against them over the last 24 months by animal rights activists.

Caroline Flint: It is not possible from the information collected centrally by the Home Office to identify whether a victim of crime works in a company or organisation targeted by animal rights extremists. The Government are working closely with industry, the police and other criminal justice agencies to protect those who work in the pharmaceutical and bioscience industries and their suppliers.

Animal Rights Activists

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to introduce legislation to restrict the activities of animal rights activists; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The police have a range of powers under existing criminal law and public order legislation to deal with the unlawful activities of animal rights extremists. Changes to legislation have been made to strengthen police powers to deal with intimidatory protests and office occupations in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003.
	We are looking carefully at whether further action is needed to strengthen police powers to deal with the tactics employed by extremist protestors.

Asylum Seekers

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department keeps track of asylum seekers who are evicted by local authorities from National Asylum Support Service accommodation following refusal of an application for asylum.

Des Browne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) maintains databases containing address and other information for asylum seekers. This is also recorded in the individual Home Office file.
	Applicants and their representatives are informed of their obligation to notify the Home Office of any subsequent change of address. This may be done either in person, at a designated Reporting Centre (RC), or by post to the Change of Address Team (CoAT), based in Croydon.
	The Immigration Service (IS) has eleven designated reporting centres to assist in managing reporting regimes and, in addition, a person may be required to report to a police station. The reporting network will be further expanded by the development of Accommodation Centres and the establishment of additional RCs.

Commission for Racial Equality

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Commission for Racial Equality Office in Leeds will close; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: I understand from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) that the lease on its Leeds office is due for renewal, but that an in-principle decision not to extend it has been taken in view of the likely expense involved in making the premises compliant with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act and in enhancing security measures to protect staff. It is therefore proposed that Leeds-based staff be transferred to the Manchester office in order to create a unified CRE presence in the north of England. The Commission is presently consulting its partners on this proposal.

Crime Statistics

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the crime figures, including figures for (a) dangerous crime and (b) drug-related offences, in the constituency of Edmonton in (i) 1991–92, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2003.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The constituency of Edmonton is within the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) for Enfield. 'Dangerous crime' is taken to mean violent crime. The available information therefore relates to offences of violent crime which is comprised of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery. With regard to drug-related offences, the available data relates to the recorded offences of trafficking, possession and other drug offences. CDRP data for violent crime is only available from 1998–99, and for drug offences from 2002–03, and is quoted in the table.
	
		Recorded offences in the Enfield Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership Area
		
			  Violent crime Drug offences 
		
		
			 1991 n/a n/a 
			 2001–02 6,665 n/a 
			 2002–03 6,964 746 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for 2002–03 will have been affected by the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard on 1 April 2002.
	The total number of offences recorded in the Enfield Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership for 2002–03 is 30,042. Totals for earlier years are not available centrally. Detailed statistics for Enfield for 2002–03 (including quarterly data) are available on the new Home Office website at: www.crimestatistics.org.uk.

Criminal Justice

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for   theHome Department whether changes to the(a) definition and (b) seriousness of due care in motoring offences are included in the existing proposals to reform the criminal justice system.

Caroline Flint: The Government are reviewing the existing framework of the criminal law concerning bad driving, particularly where death or injury results, in order to ensure that appropriate offences and penalties are put in place. This includes the offence of driving without due care and attention. We hope to publish a consultation paper in the near future detailing the options for change.

Cycling Offences

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to chief constables concerning enforcement of the legislation relating to the riding of cycles (a) on pavements and (b) without lights during the hours of darkness.

Caroline Flint: Chief officers of police are best placed to assess the level, nature and cause of cycling offences locally and decide the response.
	Police officers will take action as appropriate against cyclists whom they see breaking road traffic laws in the ways described. Forces also sometimes undertake short intensive campaigns to deal with persistent cycling offenders.
	We have, to help the police with enforcement, given Community Support Officers the power to issue £30 fixed penalty notices for cycling inconsiderately or irresponsibly on the pavement.

Dungavel Removal Centre

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the   Home Department what discussions he has had with   Scottish Ministers on the expansion of Dungavel removal centre.

Des Browne: holding answer 22 March 2004
	Officials met Andrew Kerr MSP on 13 March 2003. The discussion, which was wide ranging about the feasibility study we intended to make concerning the expansion of Dungavel, was a useful precursor to discussions with the local council.

Drugs

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drug misuse in Wirral, South in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04.

Caroline Flint: Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available in the form requested as funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) area (Wirral DAT).
	In 1997–98 funding available to the two main local drug treatment providers in the Wirral area totalled £610,452. This was prior to the formation of the National Drugs Strategy, and this figure has been provided from locally held information.
	
		
			  Fund Treatment provider Budget headings Amount (£) Source of information 
		
		
			 Wirral health authority AID/HIV monies Wirral West Cheshire partnership trust Aids/HIV 39,137 PCT records 
			Needle and Syringe Exchange 152,411  
			Infection control nurse 12,304  
			Drug Service budget 109,852  
			Total 313,704  
			   
			 Wirral MBC Social Services Department Social Services Grant Arch Initiatives SS Grant for counselling and support and residential services 296,748 Wirral MBC and Arch Initiatives 
			Total 296,748  
		
	
	In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation was £5,265,567. In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level, this varies and both in amount and origin as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.
	
		2003–04
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Partnership Capacity (DAT CAD and DAT DEV   and strategic grant) 80,328 
			 Treatment Pooled Budget 4,299,273 
			 Through Care After Care Pump Priming 35,000 
			 Building Safer Communities(3) 362,745 
			 Young people 488,221 
			 Total 5,265,567 
		
	
	(3) Contains non drug elements.

Drugs

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been carried out by his Department on the reliability of the drugs tests currently available.

Caroline Flint: Drug testing technology and its reliability is kept under constant review by the Home Office due to its applicability to roadside impairment testing and its relevance in the workplace. The extent and definition of 'reliability' in these different settings is by nature of the criminal law different in each case.
	Recently there has been research on the reliability of different methods of drug testing carried out by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) for the specific purpose of testing persons in custody suites to see if they have used drugs. The research used saliva as a point-of-contact using the Cozart RapiScan TM electronic test strip reader, one of few commercially available on-site testing kits for oral fluid (saliva). Overall, the results of this study revealed that saliva based testings are not reliable enough to evidence impairment for the purposes of charge for driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
	In the workplace, the requirements of the criminal law do not have to be met and it is up to employers to decide what margin of proof is required to consider action against specific employees. Saliva, urine, hair analysis or blood tests may all be sufficiently reliable. The Home Office does provides guidance on the various types of tests available to any companies who seek advice, which suggests that some tests are more reliable than others.
	In the July 2004, an independent inquiry report on drugs testing in the workplace will review some of the complex and wide reaching issues surrounding drug testing in the workplace including the reliability of different testing devices. The report will be the first attempt to give a full picture of drug testing in the workplace and will include recommendations to government, employers and other relevant bodies.

Drugs

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the police have issued closure notices on premises they had reason to believe were being used for the production, supply or use of Class A drugs and causing serious nuisance or disturbance under powers contained in section 1 (11) of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003.

Caroline Flint: The power to close premises has been widely welcomed and applauded by both the police who use it and the communities to whom its use has provided immediate relief from the blight of drug supply and use, and associated antisocial behaviour. This power provides a genuinely effective tool to tackle nightmare premises such as 'crack houses'. The power has been used at least 19 times in our Anti Social Behaviour Trailblazer sites alone since January and indications from discussions with the police and courts suggest that the power may have been used over 100 times in England and Wales.
	However, the numbers of closure notices issued by the   police are not recorded centrally as this data requirement would be an additional burden upon frontline police forces. We wish instead to record the number of closure orders issued by magistrates courts under section 2 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act. As this data becomes available this will allow for us to count how the power is being used nationally.

Green Minister

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what work his Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in that capacity.

Fiona Mactaggart: Much of my day-to-day work on   community cohesion, race issues, voluntary and community activity and active citizenship directly supports sustainable development. In the last three months, in my capacity as Green Minister, I have also participated in a number of meetings, judged an energy efficiency switch off campaign competition for the department and continued to support the Framework Project established to tackle the environmental targets for the Government Estate, which I launched at a departmental workshop in December last year.
	I have also re-launched the Regulatory Impact Assessment within the Department to reflect the greater emphasis on sustainable development.

Identity Cards

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment the Office of Government Commerce has carried out of the identity card programme as referred to at paragraph 1.11 of his consultation document, Legislation on Identity Cards (Cm 6178).

Des Browne: The Office of Government Commerce completed a Gateway 0 Review in January 2004 and assessed the programme as being ready to go forward to its next phase.

Identity Cards

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from what date it will no longer be possible to obtain (a) a passport and (b) a driving licence which is not designated as an identity card under the proposals in the draft Identity Card Bill.

Des Browne: No date has yet been set for when any specific document will be designated as an ID card and therefore from when that document must be issued with, or as part of, an ID card.

Immigration

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of applications for immigration were accepted in England and Wales were accepted in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: The latest available statistics relating to decisions on applications for an extension of leave to remain or settlement made in the United Kingdom are given in the following table. Corresponding information for England and Wales is not available.
	Detailed statistics on immigration control are published in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2002" (Cm 6053), which is available in the Library, the Stationery Office and via the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hobpubs1.html.
	
		Decisions on applications for an extension of leave to remain(4) in the United Kingdom and settlement(5), by category, excluding EEA nationals, 1997–2002
		
			  Number of decisions 
			 Category 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 All decisions 166,580 160,080 178,810 249,920 277,375 337,650 
			 Visitors 9,590 10,000 9,085 12,990 14,695 15,355 
			 Working holidaymakers 340 360 270 300 1,340 2,700 
			 Students 54,450 46,500 52,495 74,205 90,115 128,400 
			 Trainees 8,810 8,360 8,230 8,825 8,270 7,960 
			 Au Pairs 910 810 495 435 495 360 
			 Work permit holders 10,950 12,605 14,555 27,040 44,025 54,865 
			 Permit free employment(6) 5,080 4,470 4,155 5,680 6,015 7,415 
			 Independent means 50 50 25 40 35 10 
			 Business(7) 320 420 310 1,835 5,580 10,715 
			 Fiancé(e)s 80 40 45 95 85 100 
			 Spouse (probationary year applications)(8) 17,200 16,720 16,555 27,645 24,910 19,235 
			 Other limited leave 16,030 7,900 6,600 7,655 6,915 10,470 
			 Settlement 42,760 51,835 65,995 83,165 74,900 78,935 
			 Category unknown n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,140 
		
	
	
		
			Percentage granted 
			 Category 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 All decisions 95.1 95.9 97.6 95.5 94.4 94.5 
			 Visitors 89.4 91.3 92.9 90.1 88.9 91.6 
			 Working holidaymakers 78.3 77.8 75.0 70.4 93.9 97.4 
			 Students 95.7 97.0 97.5 95.2 92.3 94.7 
			 Trainees 97.7 97.8 97.7 98.1 98.7 99.4 
			 Au Pairs 90.7 89.1 80.4 53.2 64.9 54.6 
			 Work permit holders 94.8 95.5 94.7 96.9 98.2 96.9 
			 Permit free employment(6) 97.1 96.7 98.5 96.1 97.1 89.3 
			 Independent means 73.5 69.2 80.8 47.6 57.6 33.3 
			 Business(7) 83.7 66.1 84.8 93.3 94.4 92.2 
			 Fiancé(e)s 63.3 71.4 76.7 75.5 77.6 77.6 
			 Spouse (probationary year applications)(8) 92.2 93.4 98.4 95.5 92.6 96.2 
			 Other limited leave 96.4 93.0 95.5 83.1 82.1 83.5 
			 Settlement 95.9 97.3 99.2 97.4 97.1 94.6 
			 Category unknown — n/a n/a n/a n/a 84.3 
		
	
	n/a= not applicable.
	(4) Excludes dependants of principal applicants, asylum related decisions, the outcome of appeals and withdrawn applications.
	(5) Excludes "in line" dependants and the outcome of appeals.
	(6) Includes writers and artists.
	(7) Includes investors and innovators.
	(8) Data include unmarried partners.
	Note:
	Data rounded to the nearest 5.

Interception Warrants

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many interception warrants have been issue in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The figures for the number of interception warrants issued since 1997 are published annually in the Annual Reports of the Interception of Communications Commissioner initially appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 and now under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Copies are available in the House of Commons Library.

NHS Recruitment

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what checks are in place in ensure that foreign healthcare workers who have been granted work permits are employed in the provision of healthcare upon entering the United Kingdom;
	(2)  what checks are in place in ensure that foreign healthcare workers who have been granted work permits are employed as stated on their application upon entering the United Kingdom.

Des Browne: holding answer 4 May 2004
	Sample checks are carried out on a random or intelligence led basis on employers, by post or by visiting their premises, including those in the Healthcare Sector, in order to ensure that work permit holders are employed for the purpose stated on the work permit application. Where it can be shown that is not the case, action is taken to revoke the work permits.

North London Mosque

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the public order consequences of the regular Friday meetings held outside the North London Mosque; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis tells me that he understands the concerns of local residents about the disruption caused by the road closure. However, it is necessary for safety reasons to close the road while prayers take place.

North London Mosque

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will invite the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis to ensure that the public highway is free from obstructions on Fridays outside the   North London Mosque; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: This is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis. He tells me that it is necessary for safety reasons to close the road outside the North London Mosque on Fridays while prayers take place.

Parliamentary Questions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Home Office questions were tabled between 6 January and 31 March; and how many remain unanswered.

Fiona Mactaggart: According to our records the Home Office received 2,769 parliamentary questions (PQ) between the period of 6 January and 31 March, the numbers that remain unanswered is 86 (3 per cent.).
	Every effort is made to reply to parliamentary questions within the parliamentary deadlines wherever possible. Consequently the Home Office is currently in the process of introducing a new PQ system, the electronic parliamentary questions system (ePQS) to   better monitor and manage the Department's performance.
	The ePQS monitoring system has identified the bottlenecks in the PQ process and remedial action is being taken. As is usual with the introduction of any new IT system, performance has shown an initial decline. The benefits of ePQS are now being realised across the Department and performance is improving.

Probation Service

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons were for the change in the gross financial provision of the National Probation Directorate for 2003–04

Paul Goggins: The original budget delegation to the National Probation Service, which comprises the central directorate and 42 local probation boards, for 2003–04 was £778 million including £33 million capital. The latest budget provision is £856 million including £38 capital.
	The main reasons for the additional funding include: the need to build capacity in preparation for the Criminal Justice Act 2003; and increased funding for electronic monitoring, Drug Treatment and Testing Orders and the development of IT.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the   Home Department what principles govern the allocation of funds received from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and if he will give examples of where and how this money has been spent.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 13 May 2004
	The general principles which govern the allocation of funds received from the confiscation of criminal assets under proceeds of crime legislation, are:
	(a) to build asset recovery capacity in front line law enforcement and prosecuting agencies as a contribution to crime reduction;
	(b) to incentivise law enforcement agencies to do more asset recovery and;
	(c) to recycle a proportion of the proceeds of crime into community based crime reduction projects.
	The Recovered Assets Incentive Fund was set up last financial year to incentivise asset recovery by asset recovery agencies including law enforcement and prosecuting authorities. £15.5 million a year for three years has been allocated to the fund. The funds have been fully committed to projects, agreed by the Association of Chief Police Officers and others that will increase the confiscation of criminal assets.
	Of £46.5 million that will be available under the fund over three years, up to £12 million a year has been allocated to set up four new multi-agency Regional Asset Recovery Teams (RARTs) to disrupt organised crime groups, confiscate more criminal assets and to tackle money laundering. A successful pilot in the West Midlands has been rolled out to the North West, North East, Wales and London. The teams have been operational since February and comprise staff from the police, National Crime Squad, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, National Criminal Intelligence Service, Crown Prosecution Service, Assets Recovery Agency and the Inland Revenue.
	An additional £7 million a year for three years has been made available separately from the Recovered Assets Incentive Fund for community based crime reduction projects.
	Last year £4 million was allocated to the Adventure Capital Fund to regenerate communities across England. £3 million was allocated to regional government offices, of which £1.5 million funded anti-gun crime initiatives and £1.5 million funded capacity building in crime and disorder reduction partnerships. Of the £7 million available this year, £3 million has been committed to funding a community justice centre pilot scheme in Liverpool; £2 million to fund support services for victims of sexual offences in England and Wales; and £2 million to fund new and existing projects to tackle gun crime in England and Wales.
	On 24 February I announced a new police incentivisation scheme to be introduced in 2004–05 that will enable police forces in England and Wales, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, to receive a share of the criminal assets they recover locally, in the following year. Separate arrangements exist in Scotland. The scheme has the full support of the Association of Chief Police Officers in England and Wales. Police forces will benefit by receiving a third of all the recovered assets above £40 million in 2004–05, increasing to half for 2005–06. The maximum benefit available to the police will be £43 million in 2004–05 rising to £65 million in   2005–06. The Government will be using the first £40 million to help fund existing commitments in the asset recovery field.
	There will be no restrictions on how the police should spend this money so there may be scope in the future for them to devote some of the funds to community-based projects aimed at crime reduction. We are currently considering how we might be able to extend the scheme to 2006–07 and beyond.

Racial Equality Councils

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) racial equality councils and (b) other organisations have received Commission for Racial Equality section 44 funding for 2004–05; and what amounts have been allocated to each organisation.

Fiona Mactaggart: The table lists all the organisations, which successfully bid for funding in 2004–05, and how much they have been allocated.
	
		Accepted organisations for GR funding 2004–05 -- £
		
			  Grant Pension Total 
		
		
			 London and South   — 
			 1. Avon and Bristol Law Centre 41,600 n/a — 
			 2. Aylesbury REC 33,800 17,963 — 
			 3. Bath and N E Somerset REC 29,900 n/a — 
			 4. Bedford REC 39,500 n/a — 
			 5. Bexley CRE 29,300 n/a — 
			 6. PACE—Bournemouth University(9) 6,500 n/a — 
			 7. Bristol REC 26,900 33,627 — 
			 8. Bromley REC 30,000 n/a — 
			 9. BTCV—Swindon(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 10. City Life Church, Southampton (CLEAR Project)(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 11. Devon and Exeter REC 38,600 n/a — 
			 12. Dockland Settlement No. 2—Isle of Dogs(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 13. Dorset REC 20,000 n/a — 
			 14. Ealing REC 55,000 n/a — 
			 15. Enfield REC 24,000 17,479 — 
			 16. Essex REC 40,000 n/a — 
			 17. Gloucester Law Centre(9) 30,000 n/a — 
			 18. Greenwich REC 30,000 28,115 — 
			 19. Haringey REC 21,000 18,853 — 
			 20. Harrow REC 28,700 18,408 — 
			 21. Hillingdon REC 20,000 n/a — 
			 22. Hounslow REC 49,700 10,046 — 
			 23. Ipswich and Suffolk CRE 26,600 17,963 — 
			 24. Irish Traveller Movement in Britain 15,000 n/a — 
			 25. Islington and Camden Community Integration Project(9) 8,200 n/a — 
			 26. Kingston REC 35,000 18,853 — 
			 27. Luton Race and Equality Pilot Steering Group(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 28. Medway REC 30,100 17,963 — 
			 29. Merton REC 34,800 n/a — 
			 30. Milton Keynes REC 50,000 8,907 — 
			 31. North Lambeth LC 150,000 n/a — 
			 32. North West Kent REC 47,000 n/a — 
			 33. Norwich and Norfolk REC 65,000 17,963 — 
			 34. Oxfordshire REC 34,200 n/a — 
			 35. Plymouth REC 30,000 n/a — 
			 36. Race Equality Action for Lewisham(9) 32,000 n/a — 
			 37. Race Equality in Newham 33,000 9,014 — 
			 38. Racial Equality Partnership Croydon 37,000 n/a — 
			 39. Reading REC 38,000 17,963 — 
			 40. Redbridge REC 49,000 22,714 — 
			 41. Slough REC 30,000 17,963 — 
			 42. Southwark REC 45,483 9,909 — 
			 43. Sutton REC 33,800 n/a — 
			 44. Swindon REC 20,700 18,412 — 
			 45. The Angolan Civic Communities Alliance(9) 6,100 n/a — 
			 46. Waltham Forest REC 50,100 16,105 — 
			 47. Watford REC 43,500 n/a — 
			 48. Wiltshire REC 30,000 n/a — 
			 Sub-total 1,629,083 338,220 1,967,303 
			 
			 Scotland
			 1. Ayrshire REP 15,000 n/a — 
			 2. Central Scotland REC 56,570 17,963 — 
			 3. Citizen Advice and Rights Fife 21,681 n/a — 
			 4. Ethnic Minorities Law Centre 21,600 n/a — 
			 5. Grampian REC 37,403 28,463 — 
			 6. West Lothian Council Advice Shop(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 7. West of Scotland REC 30,000 19,107 — 
			 Sub-total 197,254 65,533 262,787 
			 
			 Midlands
			 1. Birmingham RAP 35,000 n/a — 
			 2. BTCV Birmingham(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 3. Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum(9) 22,350 n/a — 
			 4. Derby Millennium Network(9) 4,100 n/a — 
			 5. Derby REC 18,777 18,412 — 
			 6. Dudley REC 39,652 17,069 — 
			 7. East Staffordshire REC 34,113 18,412 — 
			 8. Huntingdonshire Housing Partnership Ltd.(9) 15,000 n/a — 
			 9. Leicester REC 17,270 17,963 — 
			 10. Lincolnshire REC 21,000 n/a — 
			 11. North Staffordshire REC 67,041 18,412 — 
			 12. Northamptonshire REC 54,000 15,908 — 
			 13. Nottingham and Nottinghamshire REC 60,751 19,014 — 
			 14. Peterborough REC 50,400 17,963 — 
			 15. Race Equality Sandwell 15,600 n/a — 
			 16. Race Equality West Midlands 96,000 n/a — 
			 17. Rugby REC 27,500 n/a — 
			 18. Soft Touch Community Arts(9) 14,323 n/a — 
			 19. Worcestershire REC 18,700 n/a — 
			 20. YWCA Worcester(9) 7,396 n/a — 
			 Sub-total 633,973 143,153 777,126 
			 
			 North
			 1. Bradford Law Centre 25,000 n/a — 
			 2. Cheshire HW REC 55,523 n/a — 
			 3. Kirklees REC 16,000 n/a — 
			 4. Leeds REC 32,800 9,262 — 
			 5. Liverpool 8 Law Centre 36,200 n/a — 
			 6. North East Centre for Diversity 122,501 8,829 — 
			 7. Novas Ouvertures Group(9) 15,275 n/a — 
			 8. Oldham REP 19,200 n/a — 
			 9. Preston and Western Lancashire REC 53,500 17,963 — 
			 10. Rotherham REC 33,243 n/a — 
			 11. Sheffield REC 44,500 n/a — 
			 12. Tameside REC 166,263 17,963 — 
			 13. Third Party Hotline(9) 14,800 n/a — 
			 14. York REN 24,596 n/a — 
			 Sub-total 659,401 54,017 713,418 
			 
			 Wales
			 1. North Wales REN 17,812 n/a — 
			 2. Race Equality First 25,000 18,412 — 
			 3. Swansea Bay REC 31,465 9,026 — 
			 4. Valleys REC 17,846 n/a — 
			 Sub-total 92,123 27,438 119,561 
			 
			 Grand-total 3,211,834 628,361 3,840,195 
		
	
	(9) Organisation funded for the first time.

Sexual Offences

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the   efficacy of products used to detect the presence of date rape drugs in drinks; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: None. Commercial products such as these are not licensed or endorsed by the Home Office.

Heroin

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been recorded in the price of street heroin since October 2001.

Caroline Flint: The UK average price of street heroin (per gram) reported to NCIS since October 2001 for inclusion in the National Drug Price Guide (NDPG) has been as follows:
	
		
			  Price (£) 
		
		
			 December 2001 63 
			 April 2002 60 
			 August 2002 61 
			 December 2002 61 
			 April 2003 61 
			 August 2003 61 
			 December 2003 62 
			 April 2004 59

Sustainable Development

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the meetings at which his Department has been represented regarding the delivery of sustainable development across Government as co-ordinated by the Ministerial Sub-Committee of Green Ministers.

Fiona Mactaggart: I am a member of the Ministerial Sub-Committee of Green Ministers. However, it has been established practice under successive Governments not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees. This practice is now formalised by Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Together Action Line

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many calls the Together Action Line has received since its inception.

Hazel Blears: From 3 March 2004 to 3 May 2004 the Together Action Line has dealt with 1,531 calls and 261 emails. Within this number there have been some notable successes:
	In March, the ASB coordinator from Portsmouth attended a Together Academy event and learnt about new crack house, closure powers. The following day she called the Action Line for some advice on procedure. Within hours, they had their first closure order
	In April, Swansea Safer Partnership contacted the Action Line about the procedure for obtaining a closure order on a property which was causing serious nuisance. This included intimidation and harassment of residents, drug paraphernalia and other dangerous items lying around, as well as high numbers of people entering and leaving the premises. CCTV footage showed up to 100 visitors in a 24-hour period. The ActionLine advised Swansea on the process and sent through a detailed example of how a similar problem had been tackled elsewhere. Safer Swansea Partnership secured a closure order—the first one in Wales.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Climate Change

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had   with his counterparts in developing countries concerning the allocation of greenhouse gas emissions rights on an equal per capita basis, as proposed by the Africa Group of countries in 1997 and the Indian Prime Minister at the 9th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2002.

Hilary Benn: Tackling global climate change is a high priority for the Government and for the Department for International Development.
	The Government are working hard to ensure that the Kyoto Protocol enters into force and is effective. The Government's focus has been on securing full compliance with the obligations under the Protocol's first commitment period; these do not of course apply to   developing countries. However, DFID is also considering how the UK should engage in a future debate about wider commitments. This includes looking at ways in which developing countries can become more engaged in the debate on global greenhouse gas mitigation on terms that will allow them to follow clean development paths whilst meeting their development and poverty reduction objectives. The Department for International Development will be working closely with our partners in tackling these issues.

Colombia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much (a) money and (b) aid in kind the UK has (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to date to the (A) International Organisation for Migration and (B) the UN Development Fund for Women within the framework of the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Columbia 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much (a) money and (b) aid in kind the UK has (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to date to the Food and Agriculture Organisation within the framework of the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Colombia 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK did not directly respond to the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Colombia in 2003 (Humanitarian Assistance Plan, HAP), nor did it contribute funds or provide aid in kindto the Food and Agriculture Organisation, International Organisation for Migration or the UN Development Fund for Women within that framework. DFID's support took the form of its 18 per cent. share of the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) commitment of €8.6 million to Colombia in 2003 through it's own Global Plan 2003, for internally displaced people and people affected by internal conflict in Colombia.

Colombia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes aimed at (a) aiding internally displaced people and (b) aiding indigenous tribes his Department (i) has established since 2000, (ii) runs, (iii) helps to run, (iv) finances and (v) helps finance in Colombia; how many people each has (A) housed and (B) fed per annum since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has provided support for internally displaced people (IDPs) through UK non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and its 18 per cent.   share of the European Commission's (EC) humanitarian assistance programme.
	DFID supported Oxfam's Communities for Peace initiative in northern Colombia (1999–2000) by contributing £107,000. This strengthened local capacity to protect and realise the human rights of community members through community based support to health, food security, income generation, education and social inclusion.
	DFID funded £150,000 for a Save the Children Fund project (1999–2000) where they worked with three local   NGOs (Dos Mundos, Asoda and Benposta) in Colombia to meet the social and emotional needs of children and adolescents who had been internally displaced by conflict.
	The EC's commitment to IDPs is shown in thefollowing table. The European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office's (ECHO) Global Plan focuses on four specific objectives: short-term humanitarian assistance and protection to IDPs, post-emergency assistance to IDPs and vulnerable groups, co-ordination to increase the exchange of information among humanitarian organisations, and technical assistance.
	
		EC Commitment for IDPs -- € million
		
			  ECHO Assistance for up-rooted people 
		
		
			 2000 6.5 — 
			 2001 10 — 
			 2002 9.2 1.5 
			 2003 8.6 10.55 
		
	
	The latest figures available for numbers benefiting are for the EC's 2002 commitment. These show that 195,000 new IDPs received emergency assistance, 85,000 people had their living conditions considerably improved, and 25,000 people were given access to basic health care assistance.
	DFID has not supported programmes that specifically work on Colombian indigenous communities either directly or through the EC since 2000.

Gambia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State forInternational Development how much aid his Department has provided to the Gambia in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: DFID has provided the following amounts of direct assistance to The Gambia since 1997:
	
		
			 Fiscal year Total amount (£000) 
		
		
			 1996–97 1,862 
			 1997–98 1,311 
			 1998–99 976 
			 1999–2000 1,370 
			 2000–01 1,748 
			 2001–02 2,043 
			 2002–03 894 
			 2003–04 (Provisional) 429 
		
	
	Following a review of the Programme in 2002 DFID decided to remain engaged in The Gambia with a modest programme of support focused on the education sector, governance reform and public financial management. These proposals are at various stages of development.
	HMG also provides a considerable amount of assistance to The Gambia through the UK's contributions to multilateral organisations. The UK's imputed multilateral shares since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  European Commission Other United Nations World Bank Total (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.9 
			 1998 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.1 1.4 
			 1999 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.6 
			 2000 0.9 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.8 
			 2001 0.5 1.2 0.3 0.6 2.6

Gambia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what educational programmes aimed at children between the ages of six and 16 his Department (a) has established since 1997, (b) runs, (c) helps run, (d) finances and (e) helps finance in the Gambia.

Hilary Benn: DFID has recently approved a £2.9 million project aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Department of State for Education (DoSE) to implement the Gambia's poverty reduction strategy in the education sector.
	Previously, from 2000–02, DFID provided £655,000 to DoSE through an education management project concentrating on the establishment of an education management information system (EMIS) and staff appraisal system.

Gambia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for   International Development what sexual education programmes his Department (a) has established since 1997, (b) runs, (c) helps run, (d) finances and (e) helps finance in the Gambia.

Hilary Benn: DFID has not provided direct funding or been involved in any sexual education programmes in The Gambia since 1997. Indirectly, DFID supports and contributes globally to the activities of many organisations involved in promoting sex education and tackling HIV/AIDS. These include the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, the World Health Programme (WHO) and the HIV/AIDS Rapid Response Programme (HARRP) funded by the World Bank.
	In The Gambia, activities include the HIV/AIDS Rapid Response Project (HARRP) of approximately US $15 million, which supports the Gambian National AIDS strategy and addresses a wide range of prevention activities. In addition The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), to which DFID also contributes, is considering providing US $14.5 million over 5 years for the treatment, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Gambia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the international initiatives in the Gambia that his Department has participated in (a) financially and (b) logistically since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The UK makes multilateral contributions to a number of international organisations active in The Gambia. Since 1997 the UK's imputed share of multilateral contributions is as follows:
	
		
			  European Commission Other United Nations World Bank Total (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.9 
			 1998 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.1 1.4 
			 1999 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.6 
			 2000 0.9 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.8 
			 2001 0.5 1.2 0.3 0.6 2.6 
		
	
	(b) DFID works closely with the Gambian Government and other donors in building a co-ordinated approach to the implementation of the Gambia's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Initiatives coordinated with other donors include support to Public Expenditure Reviews in 2002 and 2004, and a Country Financial Accountability Assessment in 2003.

Ministerial Visits

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list visits made by each Minister in the Department between December 2003 and April 2004, broken down by (a) date, (b) constituency visited and (c) cost.

Hilary Benn: I visited the City of York on 17 March for departmental business. This visit cost £226.
	Gareth Thomas travelled to East Kilbride (DFID's second Headquarters) on 4 December 2003 at a cost of £163.10. On Thursday 18 December 2003 Gareth Thomas travelled to Gateshead, East and Tynemouth at a cost of £254.00. These visits were undertaken as part   of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's departmental business.
	For details of overseas visits the Government publishes on an annual basis the total costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Information for 2003–04 is currently being collected and will be published as soon as it is ready.

Occupied Palestinian Territories

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Statement of 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 372WH, on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, on which issues theGovernment has made representations to the Government of Israel.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my   noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean regularly make representations to the Israeli Government about all aspects of the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Territories, including access for humanitarian organisations, as well as settlements and the route of the barrier.
	In addition, we have recently made representations about the deaths of British Nationals in the Occupied Territories, extra judicial killings and Israeli public statements implying that Yasser Arafat might be a target.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EU Chemicals Legislation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for   Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been received from the US Administration in respect of the proposed REACH legislation in the EU.

Bill Rammell: In early 2003, during their regular meetings with officials from the British Embassy in Washington, officials from the United States Trade Representative raised their concern about the impact ofthe proposed Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation on the US chemicals industry and its trade with the EU.
	Officials from the US Embassy in London have also requested general information regarding the proposed REACH legislation.
	The UK Government are a strong supporter of the overall objectives of REACH. We want to see a rapid, efficient system for collecting the necessary information on chemicals and for tackling those of most concern, while minimising animal testing and maintaining the competitiveness of the chemical industry.

Colombia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received concerning the plight of Colombian refugees (a) seeking to enter and (b) who have already entered Panama; what assistance his Department has offered to the Government of Panama better to deal with the influx of refugees from Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Our Embassies in Panama and Colombia provide reporting on movements of people between Colombia and Panama, although it can be difficult to obtain very accurate information. We are also in contact with the recently opened office in Panama City of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other EU missions. We have not provided any assistance to the Panamanian Government on   dealing with Colombian refugees and illegal immigrants. The Panamanian authorities work closely with their Colombian counterparts on the border and on repatriation of Colombian nationals. They also work with some international NGOs providing assistance to Colombian refugees.

Colombia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the numbers and (b) the (i) economic and (ii) security implications of the internally displaced persons currently within Colombia; how this situation has developed over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Our Embassy in Bogota reports regularly on internally displaced people (IDPs) in Colombia, and discusses the situation with the Colombian authorities and NGOs. Given the nature of the issue, it is very difficult to put a completely accurate figure on the number of IDPs in recent years. Colombian government provided and unofficial statistics differ slightly. According to government statistics 327,606 were displaced in 2001 and 379,289 in 2002. The economic and security implications are loss of income through unemployment, lack of access to education and health care and increased vulnerability. This terrible situation has arisen as a direct result of the armed conflict in Colombia. 2003 showed a marked decline in numbers as the security forces made some headway against the illegally armed groups; according to government statistics 172,851 were displaced in 2003. But the situation is still critical and more needs to be done to address the issue.

Colombia

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK personnel operating at the British embassy, Bogota, are absent from the diplomatic list; for what reason they are absent; what their activities and roles are; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: There are two lists covering the   embassy staff in Bogota, one produced by the Colombian authorities and one produced by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). All our staff at the embassy are accredited to the Colombian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and appear in the Ministry's list as and when it is updated. Regarding the FCO list, only four substantive members of the embassy's staff do not appear in the Diplomatic Service Overseas List. All are junior civilian members of Government Departments undertaking secretarial, administrative or technical duties. It is not our practice to include in the list these categories of staff at our posts.

Computer File Formats

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is in respect of the computer file formats used for the (a) distribution and (b) archiving of publicly available documents.

Bill Rammell: The Department's documents generally available to the public electronically are provided through the Department's website: www.fco.gov.uk. These are usually available in HTML or PDF formats. Previously published documents are archived in the same way at www.fco.gov.uk/directory. Public documents that pre-date the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website are available on request from the FCO Library: library.enquiries@fco.gov.uk.

Gambia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterpart from the Gambia concerning child prostitution and sex tourism; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The issue of child prostitution and sex tourism in The Gambia is a matter of increasing concern. Our High Commissioner has discussed the problem with the Ministers of Tourism and the Interior, and maintains close contact with senior police and immigration officials on these issues.
	He is also in close contact with UNICEF locally. With the active participation of the Government of The Gambia. UNICEF launched a report on 5 May 2004 on the sexual abuse of children. This made several recommendations including the need to raise public awareness and make legislative reform. UNICEF is   working with the authorities and local Non Governmental Organisations to draw up an action plan to take forward these recommendations.
	Our High Commission in Banjul actively supports the Child Protection Alliance in The Gambia by funding several projects.

Iraq

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nominees are serving in the Iraq Survey Group.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 17 May 2004
	As at 13 May, there were 49 British personnel (both military and civilian) serving with the Iraq Survey Group.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make available to (a) the United States Administration and (b) Mr. Paul Bremer a copy of the report prepared for his Department entitled "A Human Rights Approach to   Prison Management" launched on 20 November 2002.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has provided a copy of the handbook, "A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management", launched by him on 11 November 2002 to the Coaliton Provisional Authority.

Bill Rammell: Copies of "A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management" were sent to the US Federal Bureau of Prisons, the National Institute of Corrections. Commissioners of the Department of Corrections in every state and the American Correctional Association by the International Centre for Prison Studies who produced the handbook. A copy has not been passed directly to Paul Bremer. However a senior prison governor who has been seconded to CPA(South) from the UK Prisons Service to advise and mentor the Iraqis on running their penal system was given copies of the handbook in Arabic. We hope that the handbook will be used as a basic training tool in the future Iraqi prison service.

Julie Ward

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) discussions concerning and (b) involvement in the further inquiries that are to take place into the Julie Ward murder in Kenya his Department plans; with whom discussions are to take place; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: I discussed the Julie Ward murder case with the Kenyan Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Kiraitu Murungi, during his visit to London on 29 April. Mr. Murungi assured me that the Kenyan Government would take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is done if new evidence relating to the murder came to light. During a meeting with our Acting High Commissioner in Nairobi on 7 May, Mr. Murungi further confirmed that any new information relating to the case should be passed to the Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is ready to offer assistance, if requested, but has not been asked by Julie Ward's family to take action relating to any further inquiry.

Julie Ward

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) he and (b) other Ministers from his Department (i) have met and (ii) intend to meet Mr. John Ward to discuss the murder of his daughter, Julie Ward, in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: Mr. Ward met my right hon. Friend the   then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) (Mr. Hain) in 2000. FCO Ministers would be happy to meet Mr. Ward again, should he request a meeting.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised (a) the issue of the search for peace in Darfur, (b) human rights abuses and the implementation of sharia law and (c) the future of Dr. al-Tarubi in discussions with the Foreign Minister of the Sudan, during his recent visit to London.

Chris Mullin: holding answer 17 May 2004
	My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development, and I registered strongly our concerns about the situation in Darfur during our meetings with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 11 May. He accepted that progress was now needed. I also raised our concerns about human rights and the implementation of sharia law. We did not discuss Dr. al-Turabi.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  whether the Government have addressed the concerns of the UN Human Rights Commission following its recent session on the Sudan; and what work he is undertaking with the EU to highlight human rights abuses (a) in Darfur and (b) elsewhere in the Sudan;
	(2)  whether the report of the United Nations Human Rights Commission following its recent session in Sudan was available to the meeting of the UN session on the human rights situation in Sudan.

Chris Mullin: holding answer 17 May 2004
	We are in   close contact with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) about the situation in Darfur. We are working to ensure that the Independent Expert, mandated by the 23 April UN Commission on Human Rights decision on Sudan, is appointed as soon as possible.
	The advance version of the report of the recent OHCHR mission to Sudan was only issued on 10 May, so it was not available for consideration during the recent UN Commission on Human Rights.
	We raise the human rights situation in Sudan on a regular basis, both bilaterally and as part of the EU-Sudan dialogue. The humanitarian and human rights situation in Darfur was discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April, and in the Political and Security Council on 27, 30 April and 11 May.

Thailand

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens have been arrested while on holiday in Thailand in each year since 1997; if he will list the five most common charges United Kingdom citizens were arrested for; how many United Kingdom citizens were sentenced in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The information requested is in the form of a table.
	
		UK citizens arrested in Thailand per annum since 1997
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 251 
			 1998–99 113 
			 1999–2000 165 
			 2000–01 430 
			 2001–02 161 
			 2002–03 185 
			 2003–04 315 
		
	
	These figures include British nationals both resident and on holiday in Thailand. We do not hold figures for the number of British nationals sentenced in Thailand. The most common charges, listed in order, are for visa   and work permit irregularities, drugs, motoring offences, assault, and theft.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights abuses committed by the Government of Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: The Government of Zimbabwe continues to commit serious human rights abuses. It has repeatedly harassed, intimidated and attacked the opposition, independent media and wider civil society. We and the rest of the international community have made our condemnation clear. With our partners we are helping to provide help for those who have suffered and support to human rights lawyers and others working to end these abuses.

CABINET OFFICE

e-Government

Tom Harris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how the United Kingdom compares with other OECD member countries in the provision of internet access to Government services.

Phil Woolas: The OECD has not conducted its own e-Government benchmarking study. Other reports indicate that the UK is closely behind Scandinavia and among the other leading countries worldwide in the delivery of e-Government services.
	Directgov, the new one-stop internet and DTV service for citizens, is a world-leading service which is attracting significant interest from other OECD governments.

Better Regulation

Andrew George: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent progress has been achieved towards better regulation.

Phil Woolas: The UK remains well-placed in international comparisons of regulatory burdens and regulatory reform.
	Recent progress on better regulation includes delivery of over 300 of the measures in the Regulatory Reform Action Plan. 23 Regulatory Reform Orders have been laid before Parliament. Compliance with the Regulatory Impact Assessment process measured at 100 per cent. in   November 2003. A revised Code of Practice on Consultation was issued in January 2004.

Civil Service (Disabled People)

Joan Humble: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what action is being taken to ensure that people with disabilities are represented throughout the civil service.

Phil Woolas: The Government remain committed to increased representation of disabled people in the civil service. Current figures show that 4.3 per cent. of civil servants have declared a disability, including 1.7 per cent. of those at senior civil service level. We have set a target of 3.0 per cent. for disabled staff at senior civil service level by April 2005.
	Action to increase representation of disabled people includes a bursary scheme for disabled staff with high potential and a summer placement scheme to encourage disabled applicants to the graduate fast stream.

Ombudsmen

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to co-ordinate the activities of the Ombudsmen to ensure that they act in a consistent manner.

Phil Woolas: The Government's response to the Public Administration Select Committee's Third Report of Session 2002–03 on Ombudsman issues made clear that we are working closely with the parliamentary Ombudsman and others in the Ombudsmen community to promote joint working and ensure that Ombudsmen arrangements are fit for purpose.

Better Regulation Taskforce

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet   Office when he next expects to meet the Better   Regulation Taskforce to discuss its plans for 2004–05.

Douglas Alexander: I have regular meetings with the Chairman of the Better Regulation Task Force to discuss all aspects of the better regulation agenda.
	The Task Force are currently scoping ideas for their work programme for 2004–05 and they have not taken any decisions as yet. However, they are, as always, open to ideas.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Code

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister whether section 6 of the Ministerial Code permits individuals other than special advisers to use Government property to undertake manifesto preparation work for New Labour.

Tony Blair: The use of Government property is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Ministerial Code

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions in each year since 1 May 1997 spouses or partners of Ministers travelled (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) overseas at public expense under the provisions of section 87 of the Ministerial Code; and what the total cost of such expenses was in each year.

Tony Blair: The information requested is not   held centrally. The cost of spouses or partners accompanying Ministers on overseas visits is included in the overall cost of Minister's visits overseas which is published on an annual basis. The cost of visits from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 is currently being collated and will be published in the normal way before the summer recess. Copies for previous years are available in the Library of the House.

Ministerial Code

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs sought his approval for her recent absences overseas in accordance with section 7, paragraph 73 ofthe Ministerial Code; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Ministerial travel complies with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

Ministerial Code

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how he plans to apply section 90 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct to the recent offer by the US authorities of a decoration.

Tony Blair: As I made clear to the hon.Member on 10 July 2003, Official Report, columns 933–34W, the Ministerial Code is a code of conduct and guidance on procedures for Ministers. Any offer of a decoration from a foreign state is considered in light of this guidance.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Bereavement Allowance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to lower the age at which the bereavement allowance is paid to widows.

Chris Pond: Bereavement benefits were introduced on 9 April 2001, and for the first time extended support to both widows and widowers following the death of a spouse. These new benefits concentrate the help available where it is most needed; on immediate needs and on families with children.
	The bereavement payment is a lump sum payment of £2,000 payable immediately to help with costs arising on bereavement. Widowed parent's allowance is a weekly benefit payable to widowed parents who satisfy the qualifying conditions. In addition bereavement allowance is a weekly benefit payable, for 52 weeks following widowhood, to widows and widowers aged 45 and over without dependant children.
	We have no plans to change these arrangements.

Jobcentre Plus

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and   Pensions when he expects the new Jobcentre Plus office in Burnley to open; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Peter Pike, dated 18 May 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning when the new Jobcentre Plus office in Burnley will open. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus has been established to deliver a radical change in the way that benefits and employment services are provided to people of working age. By 2006, we plan to introduce a network of around 1,000 fully integrated Jobcentre Plus offices.
	Through the development of these new modern offices, Jobcentre Plus will provide an integrated, work-focused service to all people of working age. The introduction of work-focused interviews is extending the opportunity to more people to take advantage of the help, guidance and support we can provide to assist them to move into sustainable employment. We are also introducing new services for employers, which will help them fill vacancies more quickly with well-prepared and motivated employees.
	I am pleased to tell you that the Jobcentre Plus Investment Board met on 12 May and funding has been secured for the new Jobcentre Plus office in Burnley. Subject to planning permission for the new office and intrusive site survey results being satisfactory, we expect to proceed with a new building on the Town Hall car park site and have completion by Spring 2006, assuming there are no unforeseen technical problems. This office will deliver all the Jobcentre Plus face to face services and we will retain the Social Security office at Brun House as a Benefit Processing Centre.
	I have asked the Jobcentre Plus District Manager for East Lancashire to keep you informed of developments.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason 960 business square metres is sought for a new Shanklin Jobcentre Plus office; and what the area is in business square metres of Ryde and Newport Jobcentre Plus office.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Andrew Turner, dated 18 May 2004
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply direct to your question concerning the business square metres sought for the new Jobcentre Plus office in Shanklin and the number of business square metres of the Jobcentre Plus offices in Ryde and Newport. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	To maximise the possibility of maintaining an office in Shanklin two options were examined. An initial search was made for 960 square metres of business space to accommodate other business together with a Jobcentre Plus outlet. This was subsequently reviewed and 450 square metres sought for an outlet only.
	Ryde Jobcentre Plus outlet is 351 business square metres. Newport Jobcentre Plus outlet is co located with other parts of our business on a large site. The area used for the Jobcentre Plus is approximately 850 business square metres.
	I hope this is helpful.

Pensioner Poverty

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners his Department estimates have been living in persistent poverty in each of the last seven years.

Chris Pond: The Department for Work and Pension's strategy report 'Opportunity for all' (OFA) reports on persistent poverty, and provides results for individuals with an equivalised income below 60 per cent. of the median for at least three out of four successive years. A time series showing the proportion of pensioners in persistent poverty using this definition is presented in the following table:
	
		Proportion below 60per cent. of median income in at least 3 out of 4 years
		
			  Percentage of pensioners 
		
		
			 1992 to 1995 16 
			 1993 to 1996 16 
			 1994 to 1997 17 
			 1995 to 1998 17 
			 1996 to 1999 18 
			 1997 to 2000 17 
			 1998 to 2001 18 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Source: British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), which is carried out by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) UK Longitudinal Studies Centre at the University of Essex.
	2. The latest date for which BHPS data are available is the calendar year 2001. Figures for the calendar year 2002 will be published in the second half of 2004.
	3. Persistent poverty using this definition is measured over four-year periods. The table presents figures for the most recent seven four-year periods.
	4. Estimates are for Great Britain.
	5. The definition used in the answer is used in the Government's Opportunity for all report (Cm 5956), which is available in the Library. This gives indicators of persistent low income for children, working age adults and older people using both 60 and 70 per cent. of overall median income as the thresholds for low income.
	6. Using four-year windows to estimate the proportion in persistent low income, and the way in which response patterns vary within each of the survey years, has meant that it is not possible to present robust estimates of the numbers in persistent poverty using the BHPS survey. For this reason, proportions have been presented.

Sure Start

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in West Lancashire have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested, the available information is in the tables.
	
		Sure Start maternity grants for South West Lancashire Social Fund District
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,184 1,071 
			 2001–02 1,259 1,143 
			 2002–03 1,592 1,320 
			 2003 April 126 86 
		
	
	
		Sure Start maternity grants for the area covered by Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus District
		
			  2003 May to March 
		
		
			 Applications 4,866 
			 Awards 3,710 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. In May 2003, part of South West Lancashire Social Fund District was combined with Blackpool and Preston Social Fund Districts and part of Lancaster and South Cumbria Social Fund District to form Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus District. West Lancashire Parliamentary Constituency is now in Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus District. The two areas for which data is given in the table are thus different, and the data is not comparable.
	2. There were no cases for 1999–2000.
	3. Data is given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Sure Start

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Blackpool, South have received the Sure Start maternity grant.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the tables.
	
		Sure Start maternity grants for Blackpool Social Fund District
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,269 1,027 
			 2001–02 1,359 1,173 
			 2002–03 1,650 1,391 
			 2003 April 143 109 
		
	
	
		Sure Start maternity grants for area covered by Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus District
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 2003 May to March 4,866 3,710 
			 2004 April 402 294 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data are not available by parliamentary constituency.
	2. Blackpool South parliamentary constituency used to be part of Blackpool Social Fund District. This District was involved in a very complex interlocking set of boundary changes affecting an area from North Cumbria to Norfolk, which took place from September 2002 to June 2003. In May 2003, Blackpool Social Fund District was combined with Preston Social Fund District and parts of South West Lancashire, and Lancaster and South Cumbria Social Fund Districts to form Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus District. The two areas for which data are given in the table are thus different, so the data is not comparable.
	3. Sure Start maternity grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small number of cases for 1999–2000 has been excluded for data protection reasons.
	4. Data is given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Verification Framework

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a list of the local authorities (a) not complying, (b) partially complying and (c) fully complying with the verification framework for the most recent year available.

Chris Pond: holding answer 13 May 2004
	The information has been placed in the Library.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Breastfeeding

David Kidney: To ask the Minister for Women what entitlement there is for women in work to take breaks for breastfeeding; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The law requires employers to give breastfeeding women a place to rest and every employer must ensure that when an employee notifies that she is breastfeeding she or her child are not exposed to any risks from the work activity as long as she continues to breastfeed. HSE publishes comprehensive guidance on how employers can meet their legal requirements on their website: www.hse.gov.uk/mothers.
	The Government believes that arrangements for when breaks should be taken for breastfeeding should be a matter for agreement between employers and employees as it would be difficult to design a regulatory provision that would be workable across different sectors. We would always encourage employers and employees to work together to find arrangements which will best balance the needs of the mother and the business.

TREASURY

Death Certificates

Albert Owen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is a requirement that the cause of death be printed on death certificates in England and Wales.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the General Registrar for England and Wales, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Albert Owen, dated 18 May 2004
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning whether it is now a requirement for the cause of death to be printed on death certificates in England and Wales. (174072)
	Currently a certified copy of an entry in a death register must contain all the information in the entry, including the cause of death.
	However, in January 2002 the Government published a White Paper "Civil Registration: Vital Change" (Cm 5355) containing proposals for the reform of the civil registration service in England and Wales. One of the proposals is in addition to providing a full death certificate, to make available a shortened form that omits the cause of death. It is intended that the White Paper proposals are taken forward by means of an order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001. A draft order is currently being prepared for laying before Parliament.

Birth Registrations

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received on delays, for administrative reasons, in the registration of births; what the latest average time (a) in London and (b) in the UK for a birth being registered is; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 18 May 2004
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the average time taken in (a) London and (b) the UK to register a birth. (174181)
	The General Register Office does not routinely collect information on administrative delays to birth registration. Responsibility for delivering the civil registration service in England and Wales is split between each of the 172 local authorities and the Registrar General for England and Wales. Complaints about administrative delays would be referred to the Proper Officer for Registration Matters appointed by each local authority with responsibility for delivery of registration services.
	The length of the interval between birth and registration may be influenced by parental choice or circumstances. For example, the interval may be longer than it would otherwise have been if the father is not immediately available to attend the register office along with the mother, or if the parents are undecided on the child's name. If parents express concern about a delay in the registration because of non-availability of a registrar, that concern would be addressed by the local authority.
	A fundamental review of civil registration is being undertaken currently which, if the necessary changes in law are implemented, will extend the means available to the public for registering events. In addition to the existing face-to-face interview with the registrar, it is proposed to introduce the facility for telephone and internet registration. Reforms are being introduced by means of an Order under the Regulatory Reform Act. An Order is due to be presented later this session.
	The average interval between occurrence and registration of births to women usually resident in London was 24.1 days in 2003. The equivalent figure for England and Wales was 17.9 days. Civil registration is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and further information is available from the General Register Offices of these countries.

Budget Information (Costs)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) design costs, (b) production costs, (c) distribution costs, (d) number of staff involved in production and distribution and (e) total number produced of the 'What Budget 2004 means for' leaflets for each of the regions and nations of the United Kingdom.

Ruth Kelly: The 'What Budget 2004 means for . . .' leaflets were produced as part of the wider Budget process within normal staffing duties. The costs of design, production and distribution were met within Departmental Expenditure Limits and amounted to approximately £3,930. 1,500 leaflets were produced for each of the regions and nations of the United Kingdom, that is 18,000 in total.

Budget Report

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount raised by each of the revenue categories listed in Table C8 of Chapter C in the 2004 Financial Statement and Budget Report in each of the English regions in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: A regional breakdown of all the revenue categories listed in Table C8 of Chapter C in the 2004 Financial Statement and Budget Report is not available. However, estimates of income tax liabilities and stamp duty from residential property transactions by region are available on the Inland Revenue website at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income   distribution/menu-by-year.htm_313 and http://www.inlandrevenue. gov.uk/stats/stamp   duty/03IR152.pdf respectively.

Child Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long he requires that it takes to transfer child benefit from parents to grandparents when they become the main carer and beneficiary.

Dawn Primarolo: Our published target for clearance of all claims for child benefit for 2004–05 was 93 per cent. within 36 working days.

Child Tax Credit

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child tax credit calculations have resulted in underpayment as a result of computer problems which lead to an incorrect assessment of income; how many people have been affected by such errors; how much has been underpaid as a result; and what steps have been taken to (a) explain and (b) apologise to those affected.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue is not aware of any such issues causing underpayment of child tax credit. The income element of the entitlement calculation is based on figures supplied by the claimant rather than an assessment by the Inland Revenue. The Inland Revenue will be pleased to look into any individual cases where people consider that they have been underpaid tax credits in such circumstances.

Computer File Formats

Richard Allan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's policy is in respect of the computer file formats used for the (a) distribution and (b) archiving of publicly available documents.

Ruth Kelly: The information is as follows:
	(a) Distribution
	The use of PDF is common to all the main Chancellor's Departments (Office of National Statistics, HM Treasury, HM Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue), along with Microsoft Office applications (typically Word or Excel) though these formats can vary depending on the content of the file. ONS differs from the others in that its internal document management is based on the use of the IBM/Lotus Notes e- mail and collaboration suite and also the Microsoft Office suite. The Departments' individual websites all use HTML, although other applications are also used.
	(b) Archiving
	There is no common policy for archiving documents among the four Departments, although each has its own system in place to ensure information is captured. ONS uses an approved Electronic Records Management System; HMCE currently archives material in PDF format but for the future is looking at the use of XML; IR use a Content Management System to archive its internet published documents and the Treasury uses a records management system to store documents.

Council Tax

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households headed by a person of pensionable age were estimated to be paying more in council tax than income tax in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: Recent figures show that there were 5.2 million households in 2002–03 who paid more net council tax than income tax; in 1997–98 there were 4.8 million. The majority of these are pensioner households 65 per cent. of whom pay no income tax or only pay income tax at 10 per cent., and all of whom benefit from higher age related income tax allowances. The Government have increased the aged personal allowances by at least 7.7 per cent. in real terms since 1997. No pensioner aged 65 or over will pay income tax on income of less that £131 a week in 2004–05.
	Council tax benefit (CTB) exists to help those on low incomes with their council tax bills. However, many of those eligible for CTB do not claim their entitlement. The Government have therefore been running a campaign alongside local councils to boost take-up. A tailored claim form has been introduced for pensioners; the restriction on the amount of CTB for those people living in Band F, G or H properties was removed in April 2004.
	Council tax consumes a greater proportion of the incomes of older pensioners—who have little or no opportunity to increase their incomes—than it does for other households. Alongside CTB the Government believe it is right to help older pensioners with their council tax so that pensioner households with someone aged over 70 will this year receive a £100 payment to help with their council tax bills. This is in addition to the winter fuel payment of £200 for all over 60s households, £300 for over 80s households. Furthermore the Government have introduced the pension credit, increased the basic state pension by the higher of 2.5 per cent. or price inflation, introduced free TV licences for households with someone aged over 75 or over—and the free eye test, free prescriptions and concessionary travel for those aged over 60.

Economic Inactivity

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) of 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 746W, if he will break down the figures by region, giving (a) total numbers and (b) percentages of the total in each case.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 18 May 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (173310)
	I am placing in the House of Commons Library a table giving estimates of the number and the percentage of men aged 50 to 64 years and women aged 50 to 59 years not in employment for each region. This table covers the three month periods ending February each year from 1998 to 2004, the most recent year for which this information is available.
	Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistics' Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.

Financial Services Authority

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what charges the Financial Services Authority will (a) incur and (b) charge following the introduction of the Insurance Mediation Directive.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the FSA to publish a cost-benefit analysis of its proposed rules and guidance, which includes the   direct costs to the FSA incurred as a result of introducing and implementing the proposals. The FSA has published a cost-benefit analysis in each of its consultation papers, which are available from the website, www.fsa.gov.uk.
	The fees charged are a matter for the FSA. Application fees for insurance intermediaries have been set following consultation with the industry and are based on the volume of business undertaken. Up to 50 per cent. discount is offered for an early application together with further discount if the application is madeelectronically. Smaller intermediaries seeking authorisation could pay a fee of only £500 if they take advantage of the early application deadline of 31 May 2004. If a firm is already authorised by the FSA for other regulated activities, the application fee it would pay for IMD activities is halved. The periodic annual fee which will be charged by the FSA for ongoing supervision of authorised intermediaries following the commencement of regulation has not yet been set and will be the subject of a forthcoming consultation this summer, but the FSA has indicated that the minimum periodic fee for a full year of mortgage/general insurance regulation will be in the region of £750.

ICT Training

Si�n Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his targets are for improving the information and communication technology (ICT) skills base of staff within (a) his Department and (b) its agencies; and what method he uses to certify the competence levels achieved by staff receiving training in ICT.

Ruth Kelly: In the departments and agencies responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer each individual's ICT expertise is developed in accordance with the role requirement. This is assessed by each organisation's performance management process and personal targets are set and monitored.

Income Tax

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in (a) Leyton and Wanstead constituency, (b) the London borough of Redbridge area and (c) the London borough of Waltham Forest area qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		Number of pensioner taxpayers -- Number: Thousand
		
			  200001 200102 
		
		
			 (a) Leyton and Wanstead constituency  4 
			 (b) London Borough of Redbridge 15 19 
			 (c) London Borough of Waltham Forest 14 12 
		
	
	All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. In the Survey of Personal Incomes the sample size   of pensioners living in Leyton and Wanstead constituency is relatively small compared to other constituencies so a reliable estimate cannot be given for 200001. All estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Estimates are based on the 200001 and 200102 Survey of Personal Incomes. Figures for 19992000 are currently not available.

Iraq

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of (a) preparations for the invasion of Iraq, (b) the invasion itself and (c) the subsequent occupation in (i) 200203 and (ii) 200304; and what the estimate of costs is for (A) this financial year and (B) each subsequent financial year.

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of the United Kingdom's involvement in Iraq has been since the commencement of military operations.

Paul Boateng: The Chancellor set aside 3 billion in Budget 2003 as a Special Reserve to cover the cost of operations in Iraq, 1 billion was drawn down by the Ministry of Defence in the Spring Supplementary Estimate for 200203.
	The remaining 2 billion of this Special Reserve was carried forward to 200304. The Ministry of Defence drew down 1,539 million in the 200304 Winter and Spring Supplementary Estimates.
	In the PER 2003 the Chancellor announced a further 500 million for the Special Reserve in the financial year 200304 and a further 300 million for 200405 as a prudent allowance to cover Iraq and our continuing international commitment to the war on terrorism.

Labour Statistics (London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the (a) change and (b) percentage change was in full-time permanent jobs in Greater London, broken down by borough, from 1997 to 31 December 2003;
	(2)  how many new jobs have been created in London, broken down by borough, since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated May 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about full-time jobs and jobs created in Greater London. I am replying in his absence. (173248,173249)
	While statistics of jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in numbers of jobs from year to year.
	The attached table shows the information requested, relating to all jobs and full-time jobs in Greater London, by borough, for 1997 and 2002, which is the latest year for which figures are available.
	Information is not available about whether the jobs were permanent.
	
		Total number of employee jobs(10) and net change in employee jobs for 1997 and 2002 -- Greater London, by boroughThousand
		
			  1997 2002 
			  Full-time Total Full-time Total 
		
		
			 Borough  
			 Barking andDagenham 37.4 49.9 35.6 45.8 
			 Barnet 72.6 106.9 74.7 107.1 
			 Bexley 38.5 56.9 45.8 65.3 
			 Brent 70.6 94.7 77.3 100.9 
			 Bromley 57.8 91.6 67.8 96.9 
			 Camden 180.0 230.7 203.2 259.4 
			 City ofLondon 248.1 283.1 270.6 312.0 
			 Croydon 86.6 123.8 94.4 131.3 
			 Ealing 83.1 113.0 88.5 117.1 
			 Enfield 60.3 84.8 65.2 91.5 
			 Greenwich 40.7 57.8 39.0 60.4 
			 Hackney 61.8 80.1 70.4 90.7 
			 Hammersmith andFulham 65.1 85.6 80.0 103.1 
			 Haringey 39.4 58.3 42.1 60.4 
			 Harrow 44.6 63.3 47.7 67.6 
			 Havering 45.6 67.7 52.1 75.4 
			 Hillingdon 111.8 141.8 127.0 162.9 
			 Hounslow 87.7 115.3 95.0 122.1 
			 Islington 106.3 135.6 118.3 149.9 
			 Kensington andChelsea 83.7 117.1 86.5 119.9 
			 Kingston-upon-   Thames 54.0 75.4 46.5 67.5 
			 Lambeth 72.8 99 5 86.4 119.4 
			 Lewisham 35.8 55.4 38.0 61.5 
			 Merton 42.2 61.2 50.5 68.2 
			 Newham 43.7 58.7 46.4 63.7 
			 Redbridge 41.1 61.5 46.2 68.2 
			 Richmond-upon-   Thames 41.9 61.1 46.7 65.3 
			 Southwark 106.4 134.0 112.6 144.2 
			 Sutton 40.5 57.3 42.6 62.6 
			 TowerHamlets 93.9 118.3 119.2 147.4 
			 WalthamForest 33.6 27.3 33.5 55.6 
			 Wandsworth 64.2 91.9 74.1 105.6 
			 Westminster, Cityof 412.5 541.9 424.2 554.2 
			 Total 2,702.8 3,619.9 2,946.6 3,921.5 
		
	
	
		Change from 1997 to 2002
		
			  Absolute (Thousand) Percentage 
			  Full-time Total Full-time Total 
		
		
			 Borough  
			 Barking andDagenham -1.8 -4.2 -4.8 -8.3 
			 Barnet +2.2 +0.3 +2.9 +0.2 
			 Bexley +7.3 +8.4 +18.8 +14.6 
			 Brent +6.7 +6.3 +9.4 +6.6 
			 Bromley +10.1 +5.3 +17.4 +5.7 
			 Camden +23.3 +28.7 +12.9 +12.4 
			 City of London +22.6 +28.9 +9.1 +10.2 
			 Croydon +7.9 +7.6 +9.1 +6.1 
			 Ealing +5.4 +4.2 +6.4 +3.7 
			 Enfield +5.0 +6.8 +8.1 +8.0 
			 Greenwich -1.8 +2.7 -4.3 +4.6 
			 Hackney +8.6 +10.7 +13.9 +13.3 
			 Hammersmith andFulham +15.0 +17.6 +23.1 +20.5 
			 Haringey +2.7 +2.1 +6.7 +3.5 
			 Harrow +3.2 +4.3 +7.2 +6.8 
			 Havering +6.5 +7.8 +14.1 +11.4 
			 Hillingdon +15.3 +21.2 +13.6 +14.9 
			 Hounslow +7.4 +6.8 +8.4 +5.9 
			 Islington +12.0 +14.3 +11.3 +10.5 
			 Kensington andChelsea +2.8 +2.9 +3.3 +2.4 
			 Kingston-upon-   Thames -7.5 -7.9 -13.9 -10.5 
			 Lambeth +13.6 +20.0 +18.7 +20.0 
			 Lewisham +2.2 +6.1 +6.0 +10.9 
			 Merton +8.3 +7.1 +19.6 +11.6 
			 Newham +2.8 +5.0 +6.3 +8.5 
			 Redbridge +5.1 +6.8 +12.4 +10.9 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames +4.8 +4.2 +11.5 +6.8 
			 Southwark +6.3 +10.2 +5.8 +7.6 
			 Sutton +2.2 +5.3 +5.2 +9.2 
			 Tower Hamlets +25.4 +29.2 +27.0 +24.6 
			 Waltham Forest -0.1 +8.3 -0.3 +17.6 
			 Wandsworth +10.0 +13.8 +15.5 +15.0 
			 Westminster, Cityof +11.7 +12.4 +2.8 +2.3 
			 Total +243.8 +301.7 +9.0 +8.3 
		
	
	(10)Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs.
	Sources:
	1997: Annual Employment Survey (rescaled),
	2002: Annual Business Inquiry (ABI)

Local Education Partnerships

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the VAT status is of supplies made to local education partnerships.

John Healey: The VAT status of the supplies made to local education partnerships will depend on the nature of those supplies of goods and services, which may be standard-rated, reduced-rated, zero-rated or exempt for VAT purposes.
	The Government are currently consulting on the precise structure of local education partnerships but, to the extent that they undertake business activities, they will, in the normal way, be able to recover any VAT they incur on purchases that relate to their taxable business activities.

Oil Prices

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on the economy of an increase in the price of oil of $10 a barrel above base case assumptions lasting for a year with particular reference to (a) GDP growth, (b) export growth, (c) inflation, (d) unemployment and (e) the fiscal deficit.

Ruth Kelly: Such effects were discussed in Box A3 of pre-Budget report 2000 (page 153, Cm 4917).

Private Finance Initiative

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of (a) lowering the minimum threshold for private finance initiatives (PFI) projects below 20 million in the case of sport and leisure facilities and (b) increasing PFI credits to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in order to enable more PFI projects for sport and leisure facilities.

Paul Boateng: The Treasury is currently in consultation with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the allocation of PFI credits and the establishment of an appropriate minimum threshold for PFI projects. Final decisions will be made as part of the Spending Review 2004 process.

Population Growth

Tony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest projection of UK population growth up to 2050 is.

Ruth Kelly: The estimated population of the United Kingdom at the middle of 2002 (the latest date available) is 59.232 million. According to the Government Actuary's 2002-based projections, it is projected to increase to 65.454 million by 2050, an increase of 6.2 million (10.5 per cent).

Sealskin

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many instances of the (a) import and (b) export of (i) whitecoat and (ii) blueback sealskin and sealskin apparel, in contravention of the EU trade embargo have been discovered in each of the last three years in (A) the UK and (B) the remainder of the EU.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 484W.
	HM Customs and Excise have not made any seizures relating to the import or export of whitecoat or blueback sealskin or apparel in contravention of EU Directive 83/129 in the last three years. Customs' central records do not include information about other member states' imports or exports.

Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many child and working tax credit appeals against awards have been (a) lodged and (b) heard; and how many of the appeals were found in (i) favour of the appellant and (ii) against the appellant in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  what the average waiting time was from receipt of the appeal, for a child and working tax credit appeal to be heard, in each of the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: Up to the end of April 2004 Inland Revenue submitted to the Appeals Service about 1,300 written appeals against tax credit decisions.
	I understand from the Appeals Service that about 265 appeals had been heard by a tribunal by the end of March 2003. Others appeals were settled without a tribunal hearing, were withdrawn, struck out, not accepted as duly made or were outstanding.
	The number of appeals heard by tribunals in each month to March 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Month Number of appeals heard by tribunals(11) 
		
		
			 June 2003 5 
			 July 2003 15 
			 August 2003 15 
			 September 2003 15 
			 October 2003 15 
			 November 2003 15 
			 December 2003 15 
			 January 2004 35 
			 February 2004 60 
			 March 2004 75 
			 Total to March 2004 265 
		
	
	(11) Rounded to the nearest 5 cases.
	About 10 of these cases were found in favour of the appellant.
	For cases going to tribunal hearing, the estimated average time between submission to the Appeals Service and the hearing is about 11 weeks.

Unemployment (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in Oldham and West Royton in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave to him on 6 May 2004, Official Report, column 1737W.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Community Radio Stations

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason community radio stations have to pay for music rights for both a radio and a restricted services licence.

Patricia Hewitt: Copyright provides creators and producers of music and sound recordings with a range of rights to control exploitation of their material. This may include any communication to the public, such as in radio broadcasts delivered to any audience, either as a restricted service or otherwise; and by any technical means. The rights granted to copyright owners encourage and reward creativity and investment in the production of more copyright material for the benefit of us all. They are, moreover, necessary to comply with EC law, and are also generally required by international conventions under which UK copyright material is protected in other countries.

Advisers/Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years.

Patricia Hewitt: The record expenditure for the Department, including the Small Business Service, on consultancy was as follows.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 200102 55 
			 200203 52 
		
	
	Due to a change in the Department's accounting system during 200304, consistent information for that year could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as would information on our many NDPBs.
	I have asked the Chief Executive of the Executive agencies to respond directly to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Roger Heathcote to Bob Spink, dated 18 May 2004
	You asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years. I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Employment Tribunals Service.
	The Employment Tribunals Service has spent the following amounts on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200102 119,255 
			 200203 457,757 
			 200304 441,838 
		
	
	Letter from Claire Clancy to Bob Spink, dated 18 May 2004
	I am responding to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on behalf of Companies House, which is an Executive Agency of the DTI.
	Expenditure on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years was as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200102 2,496,317 
			 200203 3,700,207 
			 200304 3,609,492 
		
	
	Letter from Desmond Flynn to Bob Spink, dated 18 May 2004
	The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in respect to your question (2003/2900) asking how much money has been spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry spent the following amounts on external consultants and advisors in the last three years:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200102 Nil 
			 200203 Nil 
			 200304 34 
		
	
	The 34,000 spent in 2003/04 was broken down to 18,000 on a Race Equality Impact Study and 16,000 on our Help Line.
	Letter from Dr. J W Llewellyn to Bob Spink, dated 18 May 2004
	The Secretary of State for Trade  Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights  Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question regarding the total amounts spent on external Consultants and Advisers in each of the last three years.
	Please see the total amount spent per year as listed below:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200102 80,290 
			 200203 71,010 
			 200304 68,119 
		
	
	Letter from Ron Marchant to Bob Spink, dated 18 May 2004
	I am replying to this parliamentary question, tabled on 6 May 2004, concerning how much the Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years.
	The Patent Office response is:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200102 53,000 
			 200203 69,000 
			 200304 32,000

Animal Rights Activists

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met the Home Secretary to discuss the effect on inward investment in the pharmaceutical research industry of the activities of animal rights activists; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Government is determined that companies and other organisations should not be prevented from carrying out their legitimate activities by intimidation and harassment from animal rights extremists. Ministers and officials from the DTI have frequent meetings with colleagues in the Home Office, and in other Government Departments, to discuss the impact of animal rights extremism on biomedical research in the UK, including the pharmaceutical industry.
	We have made a number of changes to strengthen the law to deal with extremists. The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 strengthened police powers to deal with smaller, intimidatory protests and office occupations by extremists. Government has funded a new police unit to provide tactical guidance on policing extremists. A National Forum on policing and prosecution of animal rights cases has been set up to work on improving both operational policing and legislative measures. We are also considering as a matter of urgency what further legislation may be necessary.

Miners' Compensation

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the total deductions made from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compensation payments by (a) solicitors, (b) call farming agents and (c) the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers South Wales.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 13 May 2004
	I regret that such information is not required to be submitted by claimants' representatives to Government.

Miners' Compensation

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of compliance with the recent Law Society guidance on repayment of deductions from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compensation payments has been achieved.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many instances have been (a) notified to the Department and (b) identified by the Department of claims under the Coalminers Compensation Scheme whch have required additional costs outwith those paid by the Department under the claims handling agreement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 13 May 2004
	The Department has been advised by the Law Society that they have received 182 complaints in relation to claims by former miners and their families. Of these 98 have now been closed resulting in nearly 14,000 being repaid to claimants.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims handling agreements there are under the Coalminers Compensation Scheme; on what dates they were signed; and by whom.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 13 May 2004
	I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 10 May, Official Report, column 77W.

Combined Heat and Power

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last visited a combined heat and power station.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 5 May 2004
	Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Combined Heat and Power Association and members of the industry, and have visited a number of CHP schemes.

Employment Agencies

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to (a) license UK employment agencies and (b) implement the EU Temporary Agency Workers Directive.

Gerry Sutcliffe: (a) The DTI has no plans to reintroduce licensing arrangements for the private recruitment industry and there is no general support for such a proposal. Licensing schemes, particularly those where a fee is demanded, are burdensome for business and that burden falls especially heavily on small enterprises: The licensing arrangements required by the Employment Agencies Act 1973, which were repealed in 1995 proved not to be effective and were replaced by a new power, introduced under the 1973 Act, to prohibit unsuitable persons from running employment agencies and employment businesses for up to 10 years. The Government does not hesitate to make use of this power where this is warranted.
	(b) The proposed Temporary Agency Worker Directive is still under negotiation in the Council of Ministers, though no formal discussions have taken place since the June 2003 Employment Council. From the point where final agreement is achieved on the proposal, implementation is likely to take two to three years.

Employment Agencies

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to prevent employment agencies from levying upfront charges for finding work for clients.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government recently introduced the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. These include a new requirement that an employment agency can only charge a fee, for providing work-finding services for people in certain occupations in the entertainment, modelling and sports sectors, out of the work-seekers' earnings in any such employment that the agency has found for them. This requirement has outlawed the practice of unscrupulous agencies, which took money from workers in the entertainment and modelling sectors but offered little or no work.
	In addition, the DTI's Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate follows up every complaint it receives concerning breaches of the Employment Agencies legislation by visiting the agencies' premises to inspect their records. On top of this, the Inspectorate undertakes proactive spot checks and follows up evidence passed to it by other enforcement bodies.

Employment Rights

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 5 May 2004, Official Report, column 1635W, on employment rights advice booklets, which organisations were present at the practitioner group meeting of 19 June 2003.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following organisations attended:
	Commission for Racial Equality
	British Retail Consortium
	Maternity Alliance
	Engineering Employers Federation
	Equal Opportunities Commission
	Advice, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas)
	Pattinson Brewer
	West Midlands Employment and Low Pay Unit
	Small Business Service

European Research Council

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the aims and objectives are of the proposed European Research Council; and what areas of competence it will have;
	(2)  from which budget the costs of the proposed European Research Council (ERC) will be met; and to what purpose those funds would be put were the ERC not to be established;
	(3)  what the proposed (a) reporting structures and (b) organisational controls are for the proposed European Research Council;
	(4)  when she expects a decision to be made on (a) the creation of a European Research Council (ERC) and (b) the UK participation in the ERC; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what the (a) total cost and (b) UK contribution to the proposed European Research Council will be;
	(6)  which (a) people and (b) organisations are involved in assessing the implications of the UK's membership of the European Research Council;
	(7)  what co-ordination is envisaged between the UK research councils and the proposed European Research Council;
	(8)  in what areas of research the European Research Council will be involved.

Patricia Hewitt: The possible establishment of a European Research Council is still at an early stage, and no proposal has yet been made by the European Commission. The Government are currently consulting about the matter as part of their overall consultation on Framework Programme 7. A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Export Licensing

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the operation of the (a) Joined-up and more Efficient Working on Export Licensing (JEWEL) and (b) SCOPE programmes.

Nigel Griffiths: The JEWEL review was completed at the end of 2003. The recommendations of the review, now being implemented, included, among other things:
	a joint mission statement promoting global security through strategic export controls, facilitating responsible exports, together with guiding principles which focus on transparency and customer service, securing a common agenda across all Government Departments;
	a series of measures to improve the guidance and training for exporters in completing licence applications;
	a new published performance target to process 95 per cent. of all standard-type licence applications within 60 working days. This will sit alongside the current target of processing 70 per cent. of applications within 20 working days. The average time taken to process licences which have taken more than 20 days will be published;
	a new joint-working procedure across Government Departments; and as far as is practicable, common IT systems between the Departments involved in the licensing process.
	As regards (b), the operation of SCOPE, lead responsibility for this project rests with my hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

National Minimum Wage

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Liverpool, West Derby have benefited from the national minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Liverpool, West Derby. However, based on the Office for National Statistics Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the north west stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the national minimum wage.

National Minimum Wage

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Blackpool, South have benefited from the national minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Blackpool South. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the National Minimum Wage.

Science Funding

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) mechanism and (b) criteria are for the allocation of the departmental science programme funds; and who in the Department is responsible for allocating the funds.

Patricia Hewitt: Details of the allocation of the department's present Science Budget are set out in the publication Science Budget 200304 to 200506 published in December 2002, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House.
	The publication sets out the objectives of the Science Budget and the drivers for the allocation of funds.
	Allocations are approved by me on the advice of the Director General of the Research Councils.

Science Funding

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will break down by budget heading the expenditure of the departmental science programmes in (a) 200203 and (b) 200304.

Patricia Hewitt: The information is as follows.
	(a) Actual expenditure for 200203 from the Science Budget was as follows:
	
		000
		
			  200203 
			  Resource Capital Total 
		
		
			 MRC(12) 340,867 19,589 360,456 
			 BBSRC(13) 249,953 2,676 252,629 
			 NERC(14) 224,006 17,907 241,913 
			 EPSRC(15) 507,019 3,407 510,426 
			 PPARC(16) 246,231 2,755 248,986 
			 ESRC(17) 77,736 182 77,918 
			 CCLRC(18) 23,168 19,414 42,582 
			 Research Councils Pension Scheme 28,450  28,450 
			 Royal Society 28,783  28,783 
			 Royal Academy of Engineering 4,770  4,770 
			 SRIF(19) 190,402  190,402 
			 Diamond Synchrotron 489 14,366 14,855 
			 Higher Education Innovation Fund 22,791  22,791 
			 PSRE Fund(20) 4,977  4,977 
			 CMI 10,705  10,705 
			 Other(12) 0 34,455  34,455 
			 Total 1,994,802 80,296 2,075,098 
		
	
	(12) Medical Research Council
	(13) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
	(14) National Environmental Research Council
	(15) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
	(16) Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
	(17) Economic and Social Science Research Council
	(18) Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils
	(19) Science Research Investment Fund
	(20) Public Sector Research Establishment
	(21) Includes expenditure on nuclear fusion and residual expenditure on closed schemes.
	Notes:
	1. Expenditure includes funding brought forward from previous years, under End-year Flexibility arrangements. In addition, some Research Councils were given transfers from central budgets.
	2. Abbreviations used are as follows.
	  (b) The actual expenditure figures for 200304 are yet to be finalised and audited.

Science Funding

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the resource budget for the departmental science programmes (a) was for each year since 1995 and (b) is for 200405; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Resource budgets were first introduced in 200102, and information on a comparable basis is not available prior to that date. The budgets for 200102 to 200405 are as follows:
	
		000
		
			  200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 MRC(22) 389,887 416,097 429,875 458,080 
			 BBSRC(23) 224,474 244,104 265,032 287,872 
			 NERC(24) 236,778 253,572 264,102 280,237 
			 EPSRC(25) 439,331 464,972 468,524 491,714 
			 PPARC(26) 216,946 232,071 250,770 266,470 
			 ESRC(27) 75,352 83,756 94,584 104,074 
			 CCLRC(28) 40,847 44,770 119,018 129,488 
			 Research CouncilPension Scheme 26,970 28,450 29,740 31,140 
			 Royal Society 25,945 28,745 29,245 31,045 
			 Royal Academy ofEngineering 4,270 4,270 5,270 5,600 
			 Roberts review   6,000 18,020 
			 SRIF/University researchcapital(29) 125,000 125,000 250,000 296,570 
			 Diamond synchrotron 20,000 20,000 25,361 84,081 
			 Large Facilities and RCInstitutes (unallocated)  34,000 52,500 68,550 
			 Higher Education Innovation Fund 20,000 20,000 50,000 60,305 
			 PSRE Fund(30) 10,000   4,655 
			 CMI(22) 0 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000 
			 Other(22) 28,266 42,063 24,364 46,364 
			 Total 1,898,066 2,055,870 2,378,385 2,678,265 
		
	
	(22) Medical Research Council
	(23) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
	(24) National Environmental Research Council
	(25) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
	(26) Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
	(27) Economic and Social Science Research Council
	(28) Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils
	(29) Science Research Investment Fund
	(30) Public Sector Research Establishment
	(31) 0  Cambridge/MIT Institute
	(32)
	(33) Includes unallocated provision and contingency
	Notes:
	1. Figures include resource and capital budgets.
	2. Abbreviations used are as follows.

Workers' Rights (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits of the EU Social Chapter for the residents of South Ribble.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The residents of South Ribble have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:
	the right to Parental Leave which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
	the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
	the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
	rights under the Fixed Term Work Directive that provide equal treatment and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;
	rights under the European Works Council Directive which requires companies with at least 1,000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them and;
	in addition, the Information and Consultation of Employees Directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for work force communication and involvement in large firms.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the production of the Lord Chancellor's Departments' 2003 annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Christopher Leslie: The Annual Report 2003 for the Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) cost the Department 32,519. This was divided between The Stationery Office Ltd (TSO) and the Central Office of Information. The LCD received 615 copies of the Report under the terms of its contract with TSO. These were distributed free of charge within the Department, its agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies, and to stakeholders. I understand that TSO have sold 428 copies of the Report. The Report can be read free of charge on the Department for Constitutional Affairs' website. Web visits to the Report since May 2003 number at approximately 2,300.

Fine Enforcement

John McDonnell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to employ additional trained staff to assist defendants with completing means inquiry forms.

Christopher Leslie: One of the key measures in the Courts Act 2003 is the introduction of Fines Officers who will lead on collecting and enforcing financial penalties. Among other things they and their teams will help defendants complete means enquiry forms. The Fines Officer role is currently being piloted at six Magistrates' Courts Committees, namely Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and South Yorkshire.

Fine Enforcement

John McDonnell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs in what circumstances a fine imposed by a magistrates' court in England and Wales is written off.

Christopher Leslie: Fines will no longer be written off. They will be pursued until they are paid. The new policy to deliver this was introduced on 5 January 2004. There are very limited circumstances for the administrative cancellation of a fine, for example, if the defendant has died or has been sent to a mental health institution for more than 12 months.

Fine Enforcement

John McDonnell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs at what percentage of courts in England and Wales it is possible to make regular cash payments to court staff following the imposition of a fine.

Christopher Leslie: Data on the percentage of courts in England and Wales where it is possible to make regular cash payments is not held centrally. Magistrates' Courts Committees provide a range of convenient payment methods to offenders including cheque, credit card, debit card, postal order, cash deposit boxes, 'Paypoint' and 'Girobank' but not all have cash offices in every court. Maintenance of cash desks can be expensive and a balance needs to be struck between the need to secure prompt payment and the cost effectiveness of the method chosen.

Fine Enforcement

John McDonnell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average annual salary of a Magistrates' Court Enforcement Officer is in (a) Greater London and (b) the rest of England and Wales.

Christopher Leslie: Information obtained from Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority indicates that the current average salary for Civilian Enforcement Officers is around 19,000 and a sample survey of 29 Magistrates' Courts Committees (excluding Greater London) indicates that the current salary for Civilian Enforcement Officers is around 15,000.

Magistrates Courts

John McDonnell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the police about the provision of verifiable information in respect of summonses of individuals to appear at magistrates' courts in England and Wales.

Christopher Leslie: My officials have met representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, and other prosecuting agencies, to find ways of improving the information available to the courts in relation to summonses. I am now looking to put in place a national minimum standard.

Magistrates Courts

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what funding the Government makes available to (a) improve holding cells and (b) build new cells at magistrates' courts in Lancashire.

Christopher Leslie: My Department does not have direct control over the works to be carried out at each Magistrates' Court. Each Magistrates' Courts Committee bids annually for 80 per cent. of funding from the Department for works which they have assessed as being a priority, they also have to seek approval from their local authority for the remaining 20 per cent.
	During the last financial year Lancashire Magistrates' Courts Committee submitted one bid to refurbish the custody area at Blackburn Magistrates' Court. This was approved at a cost of 45,000.
	In the current financial year, three further bids in respect of custody area improvements were submitted from the Magistrates' Courts Committee, all three bids have been approved. At Preston Magistrates Court, security improvements will be undertaken and interview facilities provided at a cost of 21,840. At Blackburn Magistrates' Court, as part of a general upgrade costing 138,400 the cell area will be refurbished. At Accrington, Chorley and Fleetwood Magistrates' Courts, the custody areas will be refurbished at a cost of 13,440.

Voting Rights (Expatriates)

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations he has received on voting rights for expatriates; and what plans he has to change them.

Christopher Leslie: The Government has no plans to change current arrangements given that they were considered folly and relatively recently in debate during the passage of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 when the decision was made to reduce the period of voters' eligibility. Since that time my predecessor and I have received 12 letters from MPs and two Parliamentary Questions on this subject.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  when he will announce his decision on the funding arrangements and provision for non-accredited learning programmes under the Adult and Community Learning scheme;
	(2)  what the timescale is for making a decision on the funding mechanisms for adult and community learning provision for non-accredited learning programmes.

Ivan Lewis: We have agreed with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the national budget for adult and community learning for 200405, of 207.4 million, up from 206 million in 200304. This fulfils the commitment to safeguard opportunities for lifelong learning not leading to qualifications, set out in the Skills White Paper 21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential.
	In the summer we and the LSC intend to consult on proposals to integrate adult and community learning more fully into post-16 learning and skills provision, including, where appropriate, funding such provision through the LSC's funding formula. Decisions will be made in the autumn, with initial allocations of budgets to local LSCs in December 2004.

Adult Education

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will reform financial support for adults to encourage learning.

Alan Johnson: In July 2003, we announced in our Skills Strategy White Paper 21st Century Skills an increase in the financial support to help adults in further education with the costs of learning through a new adult learning grant. The grant is available on a pilot basis in 10 local Learning and Skills Council areas. We plan to double the size of the current pilot from September by making the adult learning grant available across the South-East and North-East regions. We are also considering how other existing funds for supporting adult learners in further education and training can best support the priorities of the Skills Strategy.
	Proposals for improving the package of financial support for undergraduates were announced in January at Commons Second Reading of the Higher Education Bill. This includes introduction of a non-repayable grant of up to 2,700 each year for students from lower income backgrounds. We are improving the package of support for part-time students, many of whom are mature. In 200405 part time students on low incomes will be able to get a grant of up to 575 for fees and a grant of up to 250 for course costs. We will continue to provide additional, targeted financial support for vulnerable students, through Higher Education institutions, to ensure that more of them are able to access and remain in higher education.

Adult Literacy and Numeracy

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Wirral, South in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated total spend on Skills For Life (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology), from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Greater Merseyside Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the table:
	
		
			  Basic skills Key skills 
		
		
			 April 2001 to July 2001(34) 3,803 1,094 
			 August 2001 to July 2002 6,575 1,564 
			 August 2002 to July 2003 10,677 1,755 
		
	
	(34)The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.
	Note:
	Figures in  thousands
	From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the Government's targets for the take up of (a) young apprenticeships, (b) apprenticeships and (c) advanced apprenticeships over the next three years.

Ivan Lewis: Currently the Government have a PSA target for first time entry of 28 per cent. of 16 to 21-year-olds to apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeship to be met in 2004/05. At present we are on course to meet the target. Targets for the next Spending Review period from 2004, if they are to apply, are under discussion and will be published in a White Paper in July.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how prospective (a) young apprenticeship, (b) apprenticeship and (c) advanced apprenticeship trainees will be matched up with appropriate employes.

Ivan Lewis: For Young Apprenticeships, local Partnerships, involving schools, colleges and businesses will be responsible for the decision on matching pupils with employers. In doing so, they will take account of: the needs and maturity of the pupils; the demands of the programme of study; and the availability and suitability of placements with employers. Local Partnerships will be assisted in their search by relevant bodies such as the Sector Skills Councils and will make available to pupils access to local advice and guidance services.
	For apprenticeships post 16 local Learning and Skills Councils will work closely with Connexions Partnerships to match young people with suitable employers and vice versa. To support the current national Apprenticeship marketing campaign the LSC has introduced a lead co-ordinating system across England for Apprenticeships, currently working with over 800 local and national learning organisations who are responsible for managing the interest from employers and in turn, matching this with potential young people.
	In the longer term we will set up a clearing house system run by the LSC to match young people with employers more effectively.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the newapprenticeship schemes in the context of the recommendations of the Tomlinson report.

Ivan Lewis: The 1419 Working Group, chaired by Mike Tomlinson, has established an Apprenticeship Sub-Group, with the key objective to examine the relationship between Apprenticeships and the overall diploma framework. It is important to have a clear fit between the two.
	The Apprenticeship Sub-Group, whose membership is drawn from Sector Skills Councils, learning providers andemployers, the Adult Learning Inspectorate, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Learning and Skills Council and the Department for Education and Skills, will make recommendations to the main Working Group for inclusion in the Final Report due in the Autumn 2004.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what minimum criteria will berequired to start (a) young apprenticeships, (b) apprenticeships and (c) advanced apprenticeships.

Ivan Lewis: For Young Apprenticeships the minimum entry criteria will be: good SATs in English, Mathematics and Science; good attendance and behaviour; and a demonstrable interest in the vocational area. Parents and guardians will also be
	asked to give their approval.
	For Apprenticeships post 16 Sector Skills Councils will suggest minimum entry criteria related to the needs of their sector and the requirements of particular apprenticeship frameworks. As most apprentices are employed it will continue to be for employers to recruit according to their own entry criteria taking into account guidance from the relevant SSC.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much his Department has spent on advertising the new apprenticeships scheme; and how much it intends to spend in each of the next three years.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the cost of re-naming and re-branding (a) foundation modern apprenticeships to apprenticeships and (b) advanced modern apprenticeships to advanced apprenticeships.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the funding streams available before the age of 16 for young apprenticeships students moving on to post-16 apprenticeships.

Ivan Lewis: The Department will make available up to 3.5 million for the Young.

Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of over 25s that will register for (a) apprenticeships and (b) advanced apprenticeships in each of the next three years.

Ivan Lewis: Our Skills Strategy committed us to develop apprenticeships for adults to meet skills needs in response to employer demand. We are working with Sector Skills Councils that are either already licensed or expected to be so in the near future to trial appropriate provision. The overall number of participants will be subject to demand but we estimate that around 1,300 adults would be involved in initial sector trials in 2004/05. Sector agreements will determine numbers in the following two years.

Bootle Schools

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much public funding was spent per pupil in Bootle in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  how much public funding was spent per pupil in Bootle in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. Bootle is a district of Sefton local education authority. The information for Sefton LEA is as follows:
	
		Net Current Expenditure per pupil
		
			  Pre-Primary Education Primary Education Pre-primary and Primary Secondary Education Special 
		
		
			 199697 n/a n/a 1,880 2,640 19,520 
			 199798 n/a n/a 1,890 2,630 20,190 
			 199899 n/a n/a 2,010 2,690 19,950 
			 19992000 4,690 2,170 2,180 2,780 23,920 
			 200001 16,780 2,330 2,410 3,010 26,120 
			 200102 30,560 2,570 2,740 3,430 27,410 
			 200203  2,840  3,640  
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Sefton LEAs' Section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES from 19992000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 19992000. 19992000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.
	2. The outturn 200203 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 200203 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. 200203 data is subject to change by the LEA. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	4. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year and pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	5. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for special schools relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained special schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained special schools sector.
	7. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Career Development Loans

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which banks administer career development loans.

Ivan Lewis: The banks presently involved in administering career development loans (CDLs) are, Barclays Bank plc, the Co-operative Bank plc and the Royal Bank of Scotland plc. Clydesdale Bank plc also administered CDLs until 15 October 2002.

Career Development Loans

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria are used to decide whether an application for a career development loan should be accepted.

Ivan Lewis: The main criteria used by the participating banks to decide whether an application for a Career Development Loan (CDL) is accepted are as follows:
	The CDL must be for vocational learning or education that lasts no longer that two years, or three years if it includes one year's practical experience.
	Applicants must be aged 18 or over and live or intend to learn in Great Britain (i.e. England, Scotland or Wales).
	Applicants who are not EU nationals or who are not permanent UK residents do not qualify for a CDL if there are any restrictions on their stay in the UK.
	Applicants must intend to work in the United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU) or in Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein, which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA), on completion of their course.
	An employee of a CDL registered learning provider is not eligible for a CDL to support a course with that learning provider.
	Applicants must satisfy the normal checks carried out by the banks as part of their lending decision process. This includes identity checks to prevent money laundering, and credit rating checks.

Career Development Loans

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have applied for career development loans in each year since their introduction; and how many of those applications were successful.

Ivan Lewis: My Department carries out periodic checks to monitor the rejection rates of Career Development Loan (CDL) applications by the banks. However, the banks do not retain a historic record of the number of applications. The latest figures from the checks by DfES show that the rejection rate is 30.6 per cent. The attached table shows the number of people whose CDL applications were successful.
	
		Number of career development loans made since their introduction
		
			 Calendar  year Number of loans given Comments 
		
		
			 1988 1,503 From start of programme in July 1988 
			 1989 5,441  
			 1990 7,833  
			 1991 9,933  
			 1992 10,739  
			 1993 12,481  
			 1994 15,148  
			 1995 13,348  
			 1996 11,992  
			 1997 11,815  
			 1998 11,935  
			 1999 15,339  
			 2000 18,955  
			 2001 16,247  
			 2002 17,463  
			 2003 16,845  
			 2004 4,870 As at 13 May 2004

Career Development Loans

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average value of a career development loan was in each year since their introduction.

Ivan Lewis: The following table shows the average loan value for career development loans for each year since their introduction.
	
		Career development loans average loan value since their introduction
		
			 Calendar year Average loan value () 
		
		
			 1988(35) 2,519 
			 1989 2,409 
			 1990 2,496 
			 1991 2,658 
			 1992 2,742 
			 1993 2,889 
			 1994 3,481 
			 1995 3,635 
			 1996 3,596 
			 1997 3,851 
			 1998 3,948 
			 1999 3,863 
			 2000 3,773 
			 2001 4,012 
			 2002 4,344 
			 2003 4,292 
			 2004(36) 3,843 
		
	
	(35) From start of programme in July 1988
	(36) As at 13 May 2004

Careers Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will announce the findings of his Department's end-to-end review of careers guidance; and if he will present these findings in person to the House.

Margaret Hodge: I expect the review to conclude at the end of June, Guidance from the Office of Public Sector Service Reform and the Treasury on such reviews does not require reports to be laid before Parliament; and I do not expect to do so in this case.

Climate Change Awareness

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he will take during 2004 in respect of schools, colleges and universities (a) to increase awareness of the dangers of global climate change and (b) to promote education about ways to reach the Government's target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

David Miliband: The Department will continue to fund the Met Office's educational programme which provides information to schools about the science of climate change and is this year developing a Climate Change Module for key stages 3 and 4.
	The Department is funding the Association for Science Education and the Development Education Association to develop Global Dimension in Science modules for our new national network of Science Learning Centres, which will train science teachers to teach about climate change from this Autumn.
	In the post-16 sector, the Learning and Skills Council produced a toolkit for education for sustainable development in November last year, and is planning to produce a strategy for sustainable development this summer.
	In higher education, the Department's sustainable development action plan asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to signal to the university.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) role and (b) responsibilities of non-executive members of Connexions partnership boards are.

Margaret Hodge: Specific roles and responsibilities for non-executive members are determined by the board of each Connexions partnership. In general, the role of non executive board members is to represent their sectors (for example local authorities). They are responsible for monitoring Connexions Services as it affects their locality, and they contribute towards the development of the strategy for the partnership.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons his Department did not inform Parliament of its decision to launch an end-to-end review of the provision of careers services within Connexions.

Margaret Hodge: The end to end review of careers education and guidance is one of a series of reviews commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills. They form part of the regular business of the Department and as such would not routinely be reported to Parliament.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent by Connexions partnerships on seeking legal advice since the Department opted to reduce the amount it would offset against partnerships' VAT costs.

Margaret Hodge: This information is not collected centrally.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what conclusions his Department drew from the Connexions VAT guidance workshop held on 20 April; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The workshop confirmed that many Connexions partnerships are considering their current structures and would find further guidance on the VAT implications of different delivery models helpful. This is being produced jointly with HM Customs and Excise and will be issued to partnerships shortly.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure best value reviews are carried out by Connexions partnerships before implementing structural changes.

Margaret Hodge: All partnerships, are required to apply Best Value principles to inform judgments on the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of when employing contractors or when taking decisions on structural changes. Comprehensive guidance on the application of Best Value to Connexions services was issued to partnerships in the autumn of 2003. The guidance was supported by as a series of regional training seminars. More recently, the Director of the Supporting Children and Young People Group has written to Chief Executives underlining the importance of transparent and robust decisions on cost-effectiveness informing any decisions to make structural changes.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the implications of a Connexions partnership adopting a dual lead body model for private providers of the service.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 May 2004
	The adoption of lead body arrangements is one option for Connexions Partnerships in looking to become more tax efficient. While we do not envisage any legal/structural problems with a dual or multiple lead body structure, we have advised Partnerships considering this option that there would need to be clear agreements about roles and responsibilities. We would also wish to be reassured that this would not result in greater overall spend on core administration costs and/or possible duplication of head office functions. We have advised Government Offices to assess individual Partnership plans on their own local merits. Guidance on the different delivery models is being produced jointly with HM Customs and Excise and will be issued to Partnerships shortly.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent guidance has been issued by his Department to the Kent and Medway Connexions partnership board.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 May 2004
	Officials have provided both verbal and written advice to the Senior Management and Board of Kent and Medway Connexions partnership on the various options they might consider for becoming more tax efficient. In addition, the Director of the Supporting Children and Young People Group has recently written to the Chief Executive, copied to the Chair of the Board, underlining the importance of transparent and robust decisions on cost-effectiveness informing any decisions on structural changes.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department has issued guidance to Connexions partnership boards concerning adopting dual lead body models.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 May 2004
	Guidance on the different delivery models is being produced jointly with HM Customs and Excise and will be issued to partnerships shortly.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department has issued guidance on the use of consortium models to Connexions partnerships.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 May 2004
	Guidance on the different delivery models, including consortia, is being produced jointly with HM Customs and Excise and will be issued to Partnerships shortly.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons his Department decided to reduce the amount it would offset against Connexions partnerships' VAT costs; and where the money saved will be spent.

Margaret Hodge: The additional funding that had been set aside to help partnerships meet their transitional VAT costs was reduced in order to provide a vital contribution to the successful implementation of Every Child Matters. The funding will help to fund improved services for children and young people, including through the creation of a Children's Commissioner and establishing a Safeguarding Children's Board in each local authority.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department undertook research into the possible effects upon private providers before making the decision to reduce the amount it would offset against Connexions' VAT costs; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 May 2004
	The Department sought advice from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (HMCE). We are not directing Connexions partnerships to choose one delivery model over another. The decision about what tax efficiency means for each partnership, is the responsibility of individual boards. Establishing a tax efficient delivery model will not of itself affect the relationship with private sector companies. The Department remains in discussion with representatives from Connexions service providers and HMCE and will continue to consider any issues that they bring forward.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department intends to take to safeguard the future of the private sector in the provision of Connexions services to young people.

Margaret Hodge: Connexions partnerships are private companies with obligations to their individual boards. As such the Department is unable to become directly involved in individual decisions. However, as partnerships consider their future structures we are providing guidance and support about the most tax efficient model and highlighting a need to carry out cost-effectiveness reviews for changed structures. A change in structure need have no impact on the use of private providers as sub- contractors. An increasing number of partnerships are moving to a 'lead body' model leaving private sector careers contracts in place.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his Department's policy to phase out the sub-contracting model of the Connexions partnership.

Margaret Hodge: The Department does not have a policy to phase out the sub-contracting model.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact his Department's decision to reduce the amount it will offset against Connexions partnership's VAT costs has had on preparations for the setting up of children's trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The 25 million reduction in subsidy for VAT support of Connexions partnerships will be used to implement aspects of the Green Paper 'Every Child Matters'. The funding will support, among other services, the establishment of a Children's Commissioner and the development of Local Safeguarding Children Boards. These are significant elements in the strategy for providing better outcomes for children, young people and their families. They will work with Childrens Trust as they emerge.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the Connexions partnerships which have opted to move to direct delivery since the commencement of the financial year 200405 undertook best value assessments of alternative operational models before reaching their decision.

Margaret Hodge: All three Connexions partnerships that have opted to move to direct delivery since the start of this financial year have undertaken best value assessments.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to whom Connexions partnerships are accountable.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 13 May 2004
	All Connexions partnerships are accountable to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. Performance is monitored and supported through Ofsted inspections, Government Office reviews and Management information provided to Supporting Children and Young People's Group in the DfES.

Early Years Education

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce requirements for qualifications for those working in early years settings; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The national standards for under 8s day care and childminding require that the manager in a registered early years setting, and all supervisors where full day care is provided, have at least a level 3 qualification appropriate to the post. In addition, at least half of all other childcare staff should hold a level 2 qualification appropriate for the care or development of children. There are currently no plans to change these requirements.

Education Finance

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent per pupil in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. Manchester Gorton is a district of Manchester local education authority. The information for Manchester LEA is as follows:
	
		Net current expenditure per pupil
		
			  Pre-primary education Primary education Pre-primary and primary Secondary education Special 
		
		
			 199697 n/a n/a 1,970 2,950 15,370 
			 199798 n/a n/a 1,970 2,870 14,920 
			 199899 n/a n/a 2,120 3,060 16,590 
			 19992000 10,230 2,250 2,280 3,220 17,630 
			 200001 16,430 2,540 2,580 3,520 19,370 
			 200102 15,320 2,950 2,980 4,000 21,000 
			 200203  3,100  4,190  
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Manchester LEA's Section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES from 19992000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 19992000. 19992000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.
	2. The outturn 200203 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 200203 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. 200203 data is subject to change by the LEA. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	4. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	5. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for special schools relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained special schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained special schools sector.
	7. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the eligibility criteria are for the education maintenance allowance (EMA) to be introduced in September; whether students aged under 16 years studying academic or vocational courses in further education for more than 12 hours of guided learning per week will be eligible for the EMA; and whether 15 to 17 year olds in further education are eligible for any other financial assistance.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 11 May 2004
	A young person will be entitled to receive EMA under the national scheme if they:
	are a UK citizen; or
	a citizen of an EEA country with at least three years' continued residence in the UK; or
	have been granted Refugee status or Indefinite Leave to remain or Temporary Protection in the UK;
	reach the age of 16 between 31 August 2003 and 1 September 2004 and enter full time education in the 200405 academic year in September 2004;
	live in a household with an annual income of 30,000 or less; and
	undertake at least 12 hours of guided learning on further education courses at, or provided by, a recognised educational institution in England (for example, school sixth forms, a sixth form college or FE college. The chosen course can be either academic or vocational.
	Young people who have skipped a year and are 15 when taking up further education are not eligible on the grounds of age. EMA is not based on the academic level a pupil reaches: it is targeted at those who have reached the end of their compulsory school education.
	Young people in further education aged 16 and over who are not eligible for EMA may be eligible for other financial assistance. This includes the Learner Support Fund, Connexions Card, Dance and Drama Awards, Care to Learn and other discretionary support made through colleges and schools. Young people aged 15 but in further education may receive support from their local authority.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the uptake of the educational maintenance allowance in (a) Leeds and (b) Elmet constituency.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 14 May 2004
	Leeds is an EMA pilot area and at present there are 4,764 students in receipt of EMA. We estimate that the number of recipients will be broadly similar after the launch of the national scheme in September. Across Yorkshire and Humberside as a whole, around 24,000 16-year-olds will be eligible for EMA.
	We are unable to provide forecasts for numbers down to constituency level.

Education Services

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Bootle have benefited from the National Childcare Strategy.

Margaret Hodge: I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given on 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1265W and on 11 May 2004, Official Report, column 291W.

Education Services

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many passes at A-Level were achieved by students in (a) the County of Essex in each year from 1980 to 1997 and (b) the County of Essex and the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock in each year from 1998 to 2003.

David Miliband: The following table shows the number of A level (or equivalent) passes achieved by 16 to 18 year old A level (or equivalent) candidates in the years 1992 to 2003.
	
		
			  Essex Southend Thurrock 
			  Candidates Passes Average Candidates Passes Average Candidates Passes Average 
		
		
			 1992 6,657 13,773 2.1   
			 1993 6,656 15,513 2.3   
			 1994 6,601 15,716 2.4   
			 1995 6,368 16,040 2.5   
			 1996 6,213 15,977 2.6   
			 1997 6,691 17,635 2.6   
			 1998 6,419 17,107 2.7 898 2,441 2.7 640 1,410 2.2 
			 1999 6,418 17,194 2.7 1,098 3,086 2.8 617 1,364 2.2 
			 2000 6,497 17,702 2.7 982 2,841 2.9 659 1,393 2.1 
			 2001 6,369 17,796 2.8 1,038 2,967 2.9 651 1,451 2.2 
			 2002 6,271 19,556 3.1 1,039 3,418 3.3 804 1,841 2.3 
			 2003 6,428 20,783 3.2 1,197 3,673 3.1 698 1,834 2.6 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Age is at the beginning of academic year.
	2. The table includes A level candidates in maintained schools and Further Education Sector colleges. Candidates in independent schools are not included.
	3. We do not have comparable information at Local Education Authority level for years earlier than 1992.

Education Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary school closures there were in Greater London, broken down by local education authority, in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The numbers of primary school closures in Greater London during the calendar years 1997 to 2003 are shown in the table. The figures include schools that closed as a result of the amalgamation or merger of two or more schools; schools that have closed but re-opened as voluntary schools with a religious character; and schools that have closed in local education authorities that have moved from a three-tier to a two-tier system.
	
		Primary school closures in Greater London by calendar year
		
			 Local education authority 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham  4 2 
			 Barnet  2 2  1   
			 Bexley   26 
			 Brent  2 2 
			 Bromley   2 1   2 
			 Camden2
			 City of London
			 Croydon 2 2 2 2   2 
			 Ealing  2 1 
			 Enfield 2   2
			 Greenwich 4 2  2 5 2  
			 Hackney 2   1 1 2 2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham  12 1 
			 Haringey 4 2 4 8  2  
			 Harrow
			 Havering  4 2 2  1 1 
			 Hillingdon 2  4   1  
			 Hounslow 9   
			 Islington 4 4 5  1 1  
			 Kensington and Chelsea
			 Kingston upon Thames
			 Lambeth 7 2 5 2 4 3 2 
			 Lewisham   1 
			 Merton  10  
			 Newham  2 21 
			 Redbridge 2 2 2 1 10   
			 Southwark 1 2  1
			 Sutton  1 2 
			 Tower Hamlets  2 4  2 3 2 
			 Waltham Forest  2 7 
			 Wandsworth  2 1 2
			 Westminster  1  
			 Greater London 30 38 41 26 33 30 30 
		
	
	Source:
	DfES

Education Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) Pakistani, (b) black African, (c) Bangladeshi, (d) white, (e) Indian, (f) Chinese and (g) black Caribbean (i) males and (ii) females achieved (A) level 2 or above at Key Stage 1, (B) level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 and (C) level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 in (1) English, (2) mathematics and (3) science in each year since 1994 in Greater London, broken down by borough;
	(2)  how many (a) black Caribbean, (b) Pakistani, (c) black African, (d) Bangladeshi, (e) white, (f) Indian and (g) Chinese (i) males and (ii) females achieved five A*C grades at GCSE in each year since 1994 in Greater London, broken down by borough.

David Miliband: I will answer these questions together.
	Prior to 2002 national level analyses by pupil characteristic were not possible. In January 2002 the Annual Schools' Census (ASC) introduced a major change in that maintained primary, secondary and special schools reported data at an individual pupil level for the first time. The introduction of the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) in 2002 meant that for the first time pupil characteristic information could bematched to pupil attainment data, allowing comparisons of the performance of different groups of pupils.
	The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Education Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the staying-on rate at 16 years was for Greater London, broken down by local education authority, in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Participation estimates of education and training by 16-year-olds for the academic year 2001/02 (the latest available) are shown in Table A for local education authorities (LEAs) in Greater London.
	For Inner London, participation in education and training is only shown as a total because participation estimates for individual Inner London LEAs cannot be estimated reliably. This is due to considerable numbers of pupils who attend independent schools in an LEA other than the one in which they reside.
	The figures in the table are produced using post-Census population estimates. Historic population estimates are not available on a comparable basis; and correspondingly, these estimates cannot be compared with those published previously.
	
		Table A: Participation in education and training by 16 year olds in Greater London by LEA for the academic year 2001/02
		
			  Full-time education Total education and training(37) 
		
		
			 Greater London 74 82 
			 Inner London 73 81 
			 Outer London 75 82 
			 Barking and Dagenham 56 63 
			 Barnet 76 82 
			 Bexley 68 78 
			 Brent 77 82 
			 Bromley 77 82 
			 Croydon 77 83 
			 Ealing 76 81 
			 Enfield 75 83 
			 Greenwich 68 79 
			 Harrow 85 90 
			 Havering 71 80 
			 Hillingdon 75 84 
			 Hounslow 70 78 
			 Kingston upon Thames 80 85 
			 Merton 70 77 
			 Redbridge 81 86 
			 Richmond upon Thames 92 97 
			 Sutton 76 84 
			 Waltham Forest 78 87 
		
	
	(37) Includes participation in full-time education, part-time education and Government supported work based learning (WBL).
	Source:
	DfES Statistical Bulletin 01/2004, published 26 February 2004.

Education Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Tamworth constituency in the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated total spend on Skills For Life (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology), from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Staffordshire Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the following table.
	
		 thousands
		
			 April 2001 to July 2001(38) August 2001 to July 2002 August 2002 to July 2003 
			 Basic skills Key skills Basic skills Key skills Basic skills Key skills 
		
		
			 2,341 786 3,123 1,006 4,899 2,063 
		
	
	(38) The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.
	From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April 2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

Education/Employment Statistics (Bootle)

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Bootle have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the table shows the number of starts on Advanced Modern Apprenticeships and Foundation Modern Apprenticeships in Greater Merseyside Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 98 to March 2001 in the four TECs that amalgamated to become Greater Merseyside LSC.
	
		
			 Time periodTEC/LSC Advanced MAs Foundation MAs 
		
		
			 April 1998 to March 1999   
			 CEWTEC * 1,400 300 
			 Merseyside 2,400 1,200 
			 St. Helens CCTE 300 100 
			 North and Mid Cheshire * 1,200 200 
			
			 April 1999 to March 2000   
			 CEWTEC * 1,000 900 
			 Merseyside 2,600 3,500 
			 St. Helens CCTE 300 400

Failing Schools

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Wirral, South deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards.

David Miliband: No schools in Wirral, South have been found to be failing since 1997.

FE Colleges

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to assist (a) recruitment and (b) retention of staff in further education colleges.

Alan Johnson: Further education colleges are independent corporations which set their own pay and recruitment arrangements. However, we are increasing the total funding for FE by 1.2 billion between 200203 and 200506 (19 per cent. in real terms) and increasing flexibility in the use of this money. This will give colleges more scope to meet local recruitment and retention needs.
	We also support colleges through the following specific recruitment and retention initiatives:
	In designated shortage subject areas: Golden Hellos (one-off payments) to new teachers (1,961 individuals benefited to date) and Repayment of Teacher Loans over 10 years (233 benefited to date).
	A pilot Training Bursary Scheme of 6,000 is in place to attract new staff into the profession (6,655 benefited to date and 2,000 allocated for 200405).
	The newly launched Key Worker Living programme provides eligible FE teachers with equity loans to help with high housing costs in London, the South East, and Eastern regions.
	Through the new Centre for Excellence in Leadership, the Leadership Development Framework, and the Work Shadowing Scheme, development opportunities are being extended, to ensure that talented staff are able to advance their careers.

Further Education Colleges (Salford)

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in the Eccles constituency he expects to stay in education as a result of the introduction of education maintenance allowances; and if he will provide additional funding to further education colleges in the City of Salford to support additional students.

Ivan Lewis: The DfES does not hold information on student numbers for individual constituencies. However, we estimate that there will be about 3,900 extra sixteen year olds in the North West Region in further education this September who would not be participating without EMA. Salford is an EMA pilot area and at present there are 1,200 students in receipt of EMA.
	The 2002 Spending review settlement allows for an expansion in the numbers of young people in FE. The additional funding takes account of the impact of EMA in further education colleges.

Higher Education (North West)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had on the links between industry and higher education which relate to the development of the Omega site in Warrington; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Secretary of State has not been involved in any discussions on this issue. The Learning and Skills Council and Warrington Borough Council have been chairing a working group looking at skills needs in relation to the site (the Omega Skills Challenge Group). The group includes representatives of local higher education institutions. This is a prudent measure, and does not pre-empt any decision on the planning application to develop the site.

Housing Costs

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance is given to schools in areas where the cost of housing has been identified as a barrier to recruiting staff, with particular reference to (a) newly qualified teachers, (b) experienced staff and (c) senior managers.

David Miliband: The overall school and LEA funding system recognises the higher costs of recruiting and retaining staff in some areas by giving these LEAs, including inner London LEAs like Greenwich, additional resource through an Area Cost Adjustment.
	Teachers in London, the South East and Eastern regions will now be potentially eligible for assistance with housing costs through the new Key Worker Living Scheme.
	Teachers are able to apply for this new scheme which builds on the foundations laid by the Starter Homes Initiative which since September 2001 has been helping key workers to buy homes in areas where high house prices undermine recruitment and retention.
	We have identified the need to assist those potential future leaders who wish to remain in London but may have otherwise chosen to leave as a result of prohibitive housing costs. Over the next two years we will be aiming to assist 1,000 of these teachers by offering equity loans of up to 100,000 to help them purchase property within travelling distance of their schools. In addition, there will also be another strand to the scheme which will make available equity loans of up to 50,000 to qualifying experienced teachers. Finally, newly qualified teachers will not be excluded and will be eligible to receive support through the Shared Ownership and Intermediate Renting strands of the new scheme.
	The statutory pay arrangements for teachers give significant discretion to schools to award recruitment and retention incentives and benefits to any grade of teacher where they consider the circumstance justify it.

Liverpool Schools

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) new local authority schools and (b) school extensions and modernisations in Liverpool have been sanctioned by his Department since 1997; and at what cost;
	(2)  what the total amount of financial aid provided to Liverpool City Council by his Department in terms of grants and the funding of capital projects was in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: We do not hold information on details of investment in school buildings. The majority of capital funding is now allocated to local authorities and schools by needs-related formulae. Investment decisions are made locally in line with priorities agreed in the authority's asset management plan. Information on details of investment may be held locally. The following table shows capital allocations in total and by programme given by the Government to Liverpool local education authority since 199798.
	
		Capital allocations to Liverpool LEA -- 000
		
			 Type Funding type 199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Additional NDS Grant (615) Grant 
			 Assistance with AMPs Grant   66  
			 Basic L C Vap Grant 
			 Basic Need Supported Borrowing 4,957 6,832 5,954 4,968 
			 City Learning Centres Grant   800 2,663 
			 Class Size initiative Grant  85 224 236 
			 Condition Grant 
			 Devolved Formula Grant3,528 
			 Early Excellence Centre Grant 
			 Energy Grant  155   
			 Modernisation (Primary) Grant 
			 Modernisation LEA Grant 
			 Modernisation LEA Supported Borrowing 
			 Modernisation VA Grant 
			 NDS 1 Grant 1,275
			 NDS 2 Grant  4,016   
			 NDS 3 Grant   2,735  
			 NDS 4 Grant8,671 
			 Nursery Provision Grant78 
			 Pathfinder Schools Grant 
			 Private Finance Initiative PFI Credits (Signed)86,800 
			 School Labs Grant296 
			 School Security Grant 131 162 169 165 
			 Schools Access Initiative Supported Borrowing 45 105 200 280 
			 Seed Challenge Grant295 
			 Specialist Schools Supported Borrowing100 
			 Staff Workspace Grant 
			 Supplementary Credit Approvals Supported Borrowing 3,089 2,738 2,160 1,050 
			 Supplementary NDS for VA Schools Grant164 
			 Targeted Capital Funding Supported Borrowing 
			 Voluntary Aided School Grant Grant 5,809 5,137 1,406 2,272 
			 Total  15,306 19,230 13,714 111,566 
		
	
	
		
			 Type Funding type 200102 200203 200304 200405(39) 200506(39) 
		
		
			 Additional NDS Grant (615) Grant 200 
			 Assistance with AMPs Grant  
			 Basic L C Vap Grant 190 1,089 1,390   
			 Basic Need Supported Borrowing 2,946 994 253 468 937 
			 City Learning Centres Grant 2,948 
			 Class Size initiative Grant 151 17
			 Condition Grant 2,386 3,435 4,518   
			 Devolved Formula Grant 2,859 4,339 6,671 3,461  
			 Early Excellence Centre Grant 377 
			 Energy Grant  
			 Modernisation (Primary) Grant1,528  
			 Modernisation LEA Grant1,051  
			 Modernisation LEA Supported Borrowing  1,100 1,740 2,101 3,170 
			 Modernisation VA Grant  480 1,189 2,334 1,372 
			 NDS 1 Grant  
			 NDS 2 Grant  
			 NDS 3 Grant  
			 NDS 4 Grant  
			 Nursery Provision Grant  
			 Pathfinder Schools Grant  149
			 Private Finance Initiative PFI Credits(Signed)   3,800   
			 School Labs Grant 296 
			 School Security Grant 115 98
			 Schools Access Initiative Supported Borrowing 465 703 1,129 561 545 
			 Seed Challenge Grant 333 584 575 564  
			 Specialist Schools Supported Borrowing 100 100
			 Staff Workspace Grant  109 241   
			 Supplementary Credit Approvals Supported Borrowing 916 
			 Supplementary NDS for VA Schools Grant 9 
			 Targeted Capital Funding Supported Borrowing 4,950  1,200 3,157  
			 Voluntary Aided School Grant Grant 2,756 2,168
			 Total  21,997 15,365 22,706 15,225 6,024 
		
	
	(39) More allocations to be made.

LSC-funded Provision

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what monitoring of (a) geographical distribution of funding and (b) equal opportunity the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) carries out in order to ensure that it provides potential students with equal and fair access to LSC-funded provision.

Ivan Lewis: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC decides on allocations at individual college and regional level. Information about these allocations is not collected by the Department. This is a matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	The LSC's equal opportunities remit was established by the Learning and Skills Act 2000. The Council is required to publish an annual report on the arrangements it has made during the year, how effective they were and the plans for the following year. A copy of the report must be sent to the Secretary of State. The last such report was published in November 2003 and a copy of the Department's response is available via the Department's website.

Maths and English Tests

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in Wirral, South reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 10 May 2004, Official Report, column 34W.

Modern Apprenticeships

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what targets he has set for the number of small and medium-sized enterprises engaged with the Modern Apprenticeship scheme in (a) 200304 and (b) 200405; what measures he has developed for assessing employer engagement in Modern Apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 14 May 2004
	We have not set any targets for the number of SMEs to be engaged in Apprenticeships. The Learning and Training at Work survey assesses employer involvement in apprenticeships by firm size and sector. The last survey in 2002 revealed that 5 per cent. of employers were involved in Advanced Modern Apprenticeships and 4 per cent. were involved in Foundation Modern Apprenticeships. This equates to around 36,000 employers of which two-thirds are SMEs. The Department and Learning and Skills Council are considering the most effective way to collect data on employer involvement in the future.
	It is crucial, however, to the success of Apprenticeships and in meeting the high demand from young people, that more employers, including SMEs, are involved. Therefore on 10 May 2004, a television advertising campaign started directed at engaging with more employers and there will be direct marketing to employers of all sizes. The Modern Apprenticeship Task Force, chaired by Sir Roy Gardner, has increasing employer engagement as its primary function and good progress is being made. The taskforce is due to report in autumn 2004.

New Deal for Schools

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding each school in Wirral, South has received from the New Deal for Schools;
	(2)  how much public funding has been spent on repairing schools in Wirral, South in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: Table A shows the schools in the Wirral, South constituency which benefited from investment through the New Deal for Schools programme, which ran between 199798 and 200001.
	The majority of capital support is now allocated to schools and local education authorities by formula, and they decide how to invest it in line with their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about capital investment at constituency level; this should be held at local authority level.
	Table B sets out the capital support provided by the to the Wirral local education authority and its schools since 199798, in total and by programme (including all allocations through NDS listed in table A).
	
		Table A: NDS Allocations to schools in the Wirral, South constituency
		
			  School Project Package Funding () 
		
		
			 1997/98 Barnston Primary School Continuation of roofing and structural repairs LEA-wide grant (40)375,000 
			  Bebington High School Continuation of roofing and structural repairs LEA-wide grant (40)375,000 
			 1998/99 Church Drive Primary School Chimney stack repairs, bay window repairs/replace  28,600 
			  Wirral Grammar School for Girls Replacement of fume cupboards etc, external guttering, structural repairs to two room, fire precautions  104,500 
			  Barnston Primary School Remove lagging (asbestos) boiler house  2,200 
			  Brookhurst Primary School Frame renewal and repair  66,000 
			  Millfields Primary School Frame renewal, boundary fence provision  66,000 
			 1999/2000 Higher Bebington Junior School Heating boiler plant repairs Project including 13 schools (41)340,900 
			  Higher Bebington Junior School Repair element structure Project including 15 schools (41)1,289,200 
			  Grove Street Primary School Repair element roofing Project including 17 schools (41)950,300 
			  Grove Street Primary School Repair element structure Project including 15 schools (41)1,289,200 
			  Mendell Primary School Repair element roofing Project including 17 schools (41)950,300 
			  Raeburn Primary School Repair element structure Project including 15 schools (41)1,289,200 
			  South Wirral High School Repair element roofing Project including 17 schools (41)950,300 
			 2000/01 Mendell Primary School Temporary mobile accommodation to be replaced by permanent new build Project including nine schools (41)1,955,856 
			  Raeburn Primary School Temporary mobile accommodation to be replaced by permanent new build Project including nine schools (41)1,955,856 
			  Barnston Primary School Temporary mobile accommodation to be replaced by permanent new build Project including nine schools (41)1,955,856 
		
	
	(40) NDS one grant was allocated for Wirral LEA wide projects, part of which was used for work at each of two schools in the Wirral, South constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.
	(41) Allocations shown are the totals for packages of projects within Wirral LEA which included the schools shown that are in the Wirral, South constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.
	
		Table B: Capital allocations: Wirral LEA -- Figures in 000
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Assistance with AMPs   42 
			 Basic L C Vap 61 348 453 
			 Basic Need 1,468 632 1,793 1,068 344 110 251 
			 City Learning Centres10 2,200   
			 Class Size initiative  211 899 651 66 91  
			 Condition 2,076 3,108 4,009 
			 Devolved Formula2,336 1,922 2,906 4,590 
			 Early Excellence Centre  195 66 
			 Energy  104  
			 Modernisation LEA  1,332 2,291 
			 Modernisation VA  235 620 
			 NDS1 375   
			 NDS2  1,902  
			 NDS3   2,712 
			 NDS43,956
			 Nursery Provision70
			 Outside Toilets  36 9 
			 Private Finance Initiative58,500
			 School Labs224 224   
			 School Security 83 103 109 108 76 65  
			 Schools Access Initiative 30 70 150 210 349 493 726 
			 Seed Challenge217 247 424 421 
			 Specialist Schools100 200 200  
			 Staff Workspace  84 176 
			 Supplementary Credit Approvals 55 684  
			 Supplementary NDS for VA Schools146
			 Targeted Capital Funding 600  1,316 
			 Targeted Capital Funding -VA   3,921 
			 Voluntary Aided School Grant 399 682 937 341 352 763  
			 Total 2,410 4,619 6,717 67,937 8,717 10,159 18,774

Prison Education

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which contract holders for prison education have advised his Department that they do not wish to provide services beyond the lifetime of the current contract.

Ivan Lewis: To date neither HM Prison Service nor DfES has received any communication from existing contractors to advise of their intention not to an accept offer to extend their contract(s).

School Expulsions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils have been expelled from (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is given in the table which shows data up to 2001/02, the latest available.
	
		Number of permanent exclusions in primary and secondary schools England: 1997/982001/02(42)
		
			  1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01(42) 2001/02 
		
		
			 Primary schools(43)  
			 Number of permanent exclusions 1,539 1,366 1,226 1,436 1,451 
			 Percentage of permanent exclusions(44) 13 13 15 16 15 
			 Percentage of school population(45) 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 
			   
			 Secondary schools(43)  
			 Number of permanent exclusions 10,187 8,636 6,713 7,305 7,741 
			 Percentage of permanent exclusions(44) 83 83 81 80 81 
			 Percentage of school population(45) 0.33 0.28 0.21 0.23 0.24 
		
	
	(42) Permanent exclusions for 2000/01 are estimated as a number of local education authorities have not confirmed the data for their schools.
	(43) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(44) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the total number in primary, secondary and special schools. The figures for special schools are not given in the table.
	(45) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils in special schools) in January each year.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

School Inspections

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the model of inspection proposed by HM Chief Inspector of Schools in his recent letter to all primary schools in England; and what assessment he has made of the accordance of that model with his Department's guidelines on earned autonomy and staged intervention in schools;
	(2)  what plans he has to instruct Ofsted to use a range of electronic and other performance indicators to undertake a distance review of a school before deciding on the most appropriate way to carry out inspection; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans he has to instruct Ofsted to send single inspectors to validate (a) schools clearly demonstrating success in a range of existing performance indicators, (b) school self-evaluation systems and (c) the evaluation of other processes;
	(4)  what plans he has to introduce the principle of minimum notice to the school inspections process; what assessment he has made of its efficacy in the day-to-day performance of schools; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what plans he has to introduce a two-tier system of reporting on schools to provide for professional confidentiality and staff anonymity; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, recently conducted a consultation on proposals for changing the arrangements for school inspections. He has now submitted his proposals for change to the Secretary of State for consideration. We will publish our intentions shortly.

Schools (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent per pupil in South Ribble in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. South Ribble is a district of Lancashire Local Education Authority. The information for Lancashire LEA is as follows:
	
		Net current expenditure per pupil
		
			  Pre-Primary Education Primary Education Pre-primary and Primary Secondary Education 
		
		
			 199697 n/a n/a 1,800 2,590 15,990 
			 199798 n/a n/a 1,820 2,630 17,320 
			 199899 n/a n/a 2,000 2,700 17,770 
			 19992000 7,130 2,110 2,170 2,760 18,490 
			 200001 11,030 2,330 2,440 2,910 18,770 
			 200102 16,390 2,630 2,800 3,230 20,600 
			 200203  2,900  3,400  
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Lancashire LEA's Section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES from 199900 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. Figures up to and including 199798 figures are for Lancashire LEA prior to local government reorganisation. From 199899 onwards parts of Lancashire LEA became Blackpool and Blackburn LEAs. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 199900. 199900 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.
	2. The outturn 200203 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 200203 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. 200203 data is subject to change by the LEA. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	4. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	5. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for special schools relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained special schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained special schools sector.
	7. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Secure Children's Homes

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans there are to change the number of beds in local authority secure children's homes; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list the secure children's homes in England;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the future of secure children's homes in England.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 13 May 2004
	Officials have been working closely, both with the Youth Justice Board and the Association of Directors of Social Services, to consider the implications for local authority secure children's homes of the results of the Youth Justice Board's re-tendering exercise to determine the extent to which these homes will be used by the Youth Justice Board over the next two to five years for the placement of children through the youth justice system.
	We understand that a few secure children's homes will now close on the basis that they will no longer be viable.
	Officials are looking very closely at the demand, including any unmet need, for welfare placements in order to ensure that there are sufficient beds across the country for children who need to be placed in secure accommodation for welfare reasons.
	Our aim is to achieve the best quality service for vulnerable children who, for whatever reason, need to be placed in secure accommodation.
	The secure children's homes in England are as follows:
	Stamford House
	Orchard Lodge
	Beechfield
	Lansdowne
	Leverton
	Thornbury
	Atkinson
	Vinney Green
	Swanwick Lodge
	Clare Lodge
	St. Johns
	Earlswood
	Lincolnshire
	Sutton Place
	Aldine House
	Brunei
	Watling House
	Clayfields
	Aycliffe
	Kyloe House
	Eastmoor
	Barton Moss
	Dyson Hall
	Redbank
	Redsands
	Dales House
	St. Catherines

Sure Start

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mothers in each Greater London borough (a) are eligible for and (b) have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant.

Chris Pond: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is not available.
	Note
	Social Fund data are held on the Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System (PBMIS). PBMIS does not hold data broken down by borough or for the Greater London area.

Truancy (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in the Tamworth constituency played truant from school in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Vocational Training

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government is taking to improve (a) vocational training courses and (b) work-based learning in the public sector.

Ivan Lewis: The Government supports a range of high quality learning opportunities to meet skills needs in the public sector. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) in the public sector will ensure that publicly-funded learning meets the needs of the economy. As part of that, Apprenticeships will play a major role in providing the skills needed in the workforce. To complement this, the employer-led Apprenticeship Task Force, chaired by Sir Roy Gardner, is making good progress in increasing employer engagement, including in the public sector, and is due to report in Autumn 2004.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Accountancy Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) nature and (b) value was of all contracts, consultancies or other services placed with the accountancy firms (i) Deloitte  Touche, (ii) Ernst  Young, (iii) KPMG and (iv) PricewaterhouseCoopers since 200001 by the Department and its agencies.

Ian Pearson: The nature and value of all contracts, consultancies or other services placed with the four firms listed since 200001 for the Northern Ireland Administration (including the Northern Ireland Office itself, but excluding non-departmental public bodies) was as follows:
	
		
			 Nature Value () 
		
		
			 Deloitte  Touche  
			 Management Advisory 3,347,476.35 
			 Financial Advisory 1,789,127.00 
			 Assurance 142,492.30 
			 Human Resources 15,093.43 
			 Internal Audit(46) 386,076.00 
			 Research 583,110.18 
			 Marketing 0.00 
			 Miscellaneous 804,604.35 
			 Total(47) 7,223,219.18 
			   
			 Ernst  Young 101,442.00 
			 Management Advisory 126,000.00 
			 Financial Advisory 0.00 
			 Assurance 0.00 
			 Human Resources 0.00 
			 Internal Audit 0.00 
			 Research 0.00 
			 Marketing 0.00 
			 Total 227,442.00 
			   
			 KPMG  
			 Management Advisory 191,872.00 
			 Financial Advisory 1,227,193.00 
			 Assurance 800.00 
			 Human Resources 30,638.00 
			 Internal Audit 0.00 
			 Research 194,317.50 
			 Marketing 102,813.00 
			 Total(48) 1,748,867.25 
			   
			 Pricewaterhouse Coopers  
			 Management Advisory 2,314,243.94 
			 Financial Advisory 5,791,095.50 
			 Assurance 589,706.69 
			 Human Resources 1,616,008.00 
			 Internal Audit 2,808.26 
			 Research 736,466.70 
			 Marketing 82,625.00 
			 Miscellaneous 198,148.00 
			 Total(49) 11,813,868.82 
		
	
	(46) Some of these contracts were let by DRD to procure services on behalf of other Departments.
	(47) The value of all contracts awarded to Deloitte  Touche by DSD in 200001 was 79,789.57.
	DOE awarded Deloitte  Touche 75,450 in IT projects.
	These amounts were not categorised but are included in the Deloitte  Touche total.
	(48) The value of all contracts awarded to KPMG by DSD in 200001 was 1,233.75.
	This amount was not categorised but is included in the KPMG total.
	(49) The value of all contracts awarded to Pricewaterhouse Coopers by DSD in 200001 was 179,731.70.
	DOE awarded Pricewaterhouse Coopers 303,035.00 in IT projects.
	These amounts were not categorised but are included in the Pricewaterhouse Coopers total.
	Deloitte  Touche Miscellaneouscontracts which were not categorised as follows:
	Young peoplework in relation to religion and morals today;
	Security Consultation;
	Training;
	Redesign of processes and acquisition of new IT system and related work;
	Provision of technical advice about the development of improved IT services;
	Provision of technical advice on the development of cross-cutting IT services to the six Criminal Justice Organisations (CJOs);
	Review of Qualifications for Probation Officers; and
	IT.
	Pricewaterhouse Coopers Miscellaneouscontracts which were not categorised as follows:
	Provision of work study practitioners;
	Training; and
	PFI course tailored specifically to Health Estates.

Age Weighted Pupil Unit

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what percentage funding for the Age Weighted Pupil Unit changed this year.

Barry Gardiner: Funding under the Age Weighted Pupil Unit Factor within the Local Management of Schools funding formulae increased by 1.9 per cent. between 200304 and 200405. The amount of resources available for distribution under this factor reflects a drop in pupil numbers, the age profile of pupils, the resources required to fund other factors within the formulae and a 0.85 percentage point reduction in the level of Employers' Superannuation contributions for teachers, leading to lower costs in schools.

Allied Health Professionals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to facilitate allied health professionals in continuing professional development and training in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Department recognises the need for Health Care Professionals to update and maintain their professional competence through access to continuing professional development. In August 2002, the Department established a Centre for Professional Development for Allied Health Professionals. This centre provides a wide range of programmes, both profession specific and on a multi-professional basis, and representatives of relevant professions are involved in identifying priorities for training. The centre is in its early stages of development and the position will be kept under review.

Allied Health Professionals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which local health trusts have formally implemented the 1996 Enabling Agreement with regard to allied health professions.

Angela Smith: The following HSS Trusts have formally implemented the 1996 Enabling Agreement:
	Altnagelvin HSS Trust
	Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust
	Causeway HSS Trust
	Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust
	Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust
	Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust
	Newry and Mourne HSS Trust
	North and West Belfast HSS Trust
	South and East Belfast HSS Trust
	United Hospitals HSS Trust.

Allied Health Professionals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) consultants and (b) clinical specialists he estimates will be appointed within the allied health professions in the next (i) 12 months and (ii) 12 to 24 months.

Angela Smith: Staffing is a matter for individual Health and Social Services Trusts taking into account factors such as service needs and available resources. Information is not held centrally on projected appointments to specific grades.

Allied Health Professionals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) clinical specialists and (b) consultants there are within the allied health professions.

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows. 
	
		Number of clinical specialists employed within allied health professions in Health and Social Services (HSS) Trusts as at 31March 2004 -- Figures are given as headcount unless otherwise indicated
		
			 HSS(50) Trusts Physiotherapy Occupational Therapy Speech and Language Therapy Radiography 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 0 0 0 10 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 0 0 8 0 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 3 0 0 12 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 1 3 12 0 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Comm. HSS Trust 0 3 0 0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust 4 0 0 0 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 2 0 5 0 
			 Foyle Community HSS Trust 0 0 12 0 
			 Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust 8 8 0 1 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 0 (51)2.00 (51)9.83 0 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust (51)2.16 0 0 0 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 2 2 5 2 
			 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 4 2 16 0 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust (51)1.00 0 (51)9.20 (51)7.10 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 0 0 0 8 
			 Ulster Comm. and Hosp. Group HSS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 3 0 0 13 
		
	
	
		
			 HSS(50) Trusts Orthoptics Podiatry Dietetics Total 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 0 0 0 10 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 0 1 1 10 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 0 0 0 15 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 0 0 0 16 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Comm. HSS Trust 0 0 0 3 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust 0 0 0 4 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 0 0 0 7 
			 Foyle Community HSS Trust 0 0 0 12 
			 Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust 0 0 1 18 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 0 (51)4.00 0 (51)15.83 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 0 0 0 (51)2.16 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 0 1 1 13 
			 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 0 1 0 23 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 0 0 0 (51)17.30 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 0 0 0 8 
			 Ulster Comm. and Hosp. Group HSS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 0 0 0 16 
		
	
	(50) Health and Social Services
	(51) Whole-time Equivalent
	There are no allied health profession consultants employed within any of the Health and Social Services Trusts.

Allied Health Professionals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what input frontline allied health professionals have in influencing departmental health policy locally.

Angela Smith: The Central Advisory Committee for the Allied Health Professions provides the formal mechanism for frontline allied health professionals to input consolidated advice to influence departmental health policy locally.
	The present membership of the committee comprises of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, chiropodists/podiatrists, dieticians, speech and language therapists, radiographers, orthoptists, arts therapists, prosthetists and orthotists.

Alzheimer's Disease

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what percentage of his Department's health budget has been allocated to genetic research into the causes of Alzheimer's in each year since 2000;
	(2)  what plans he has to increase his Department's health budget allocation to genetic research into the causes of Alzheimer's in the current financial year.

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has not allocated and is not currently planning to allocate any funding for research specifically into the potential genetic causes of Alzheimer's over the period in question. However, it is currently supporting a neurological research programme which is not classed as genetic research. The total budget for this five-year programme is 366,814, including initial funding of 21,913 in 200203, 52,570 in 200304 and there is a budget provision of 65,679 this year.

Alzheimer's Disease

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of his Department's health budget was spent on the development of treatment and care for Alzheimer's sufferers in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the provision for those with Alzheimer's in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.
	The Department recognises that, as people live longer, there will be a corresponding increase in the numbers who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related conditions. The needs of people with these conditions are currently being considered as part of the on-going Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability.

Arthritis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used to prioritise patients to receive new anti-TNF drugs for rheumatoid arthritis; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Priority is given to those patients who, having been assessed as suitable for treatment with anti-TNF drugs, have been on the waiting list for the longest time.

Arthritis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what obstacles prevent all rheumatoid arthritis sufferers deemed suitable for new anti-TNF drugs by their consultants from receiving them; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The decision on the appropriate treatment for an individual patient is a matter for the clinician concerned, in consultation with the patient. Ideally, all rheumatoid arthritis sufferers deemed suitable for anti-TNF drug treatment by their consultants should receive these medicines. However, rising demand, the high costs of these medicines and the infrastructure required to prepare and administer them, and limited health service resources result in some patients having to wait for this form of treatment. In the meantime they continue to receive conventional treatment for their condition.

Autism Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been provided for autism services in each of the past five years in the (a) Northern Board area and (b) rest of Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available centrally.

Bail

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times defendants charged with murder in Northern Ireland have been released on bail in each year since 2000.

Christopher Leslie: pursuant to his reply, 20 April 2004, Official Report, column 441W
	I have been asked to reply.
	The information contained in my previous answer was inaccurate. I apologise for this error, which was due to related charges of attempted murder and manslaughter being included in the annualised totals.
	In 2001, 10 defendants on murder charges were released on bail.
	In 2002, 11 defendants on murder charges were released on bail.
	In 2003, 10 defendants on murder charges were released on bail.

Body Piercing and Tattooing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with what frequency inspections arecarried out on body piercing and tattooing establishments in Northern Ireland; what the nature of such inspections is; and by whom they are carried out.

Angela Smith: Inspections of body piercing and tattooing establishments are in general carried out by Environmental Health Officers employed by district councils. The frequency of such inspections is a matter for each council and information on this is not held centrally.
	Under Part V of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, district councils may control tattooing and ear-piercing practices in their districts. Inspections of these establishments are carried out to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of the premises, the practitioners and the equipment used; inspections of establishments engaged in body piercing (other than ear piercing) are carried out to ensure compliance with the requirements of health and safety at work legislation.

Civil Partnerships

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many respondents were (a) in favour of and (b) against the Government's proposals set out in the consultation document Civil Partnerships: A Legal Status for Committed Same Sex Couples in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: A report analysing the responses, containing statistical information and outlining the Government's approach to the issues raised by respondents to the consultation is being compiled and will be published within the next few weeks.

Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on entertainment in each year from 199697 to 200405.

Ian Pearson: The estimated total spend by the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office on all forms of entertainment in each financial year from 199697 to 200405 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Total () 
		
		
			 199697 681,358 
			 199798 668,280 
			 199899 803,170 
			 19992000 813,959 
			 200001 841,778 
			 200102 756,189 
			 200203 865,859 
			 200304(52) 852,548 
			 200405(53) 908,622 
		
	
	(52) Provisional outturn
	(53) Estimated outturn

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British or Northern Ireland manufacture.

Ian Pearson: As there is no requirement on departments to hold records on the country of origin of crockery, cutlery or glassware the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Early Retirement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees in his Department took early retirement in the last financial year; and at what total cost.

Ian Pearson: The number of employees, covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland) who took early retirement in the financial year ending 31 March 2004 totalled 307 at a cost of 9,746,601.87. Of these, 226 retired early on grounds of ill health at a cost of 5,527,899.53.
	The figures reflect the amounts actually paid out during the financial year 200304. The total cost of enhancements to pension benefits and the additional compensation amounts paid in advance of normal age of retirement is only available at disproportionate cost.
	The figures include those applicable to Next Steps Agencies and NDPB's, which are also members of the Scheme.

Education Department Budget

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what percentage the Department of Education's budget changed this year.

Barry Gardiner: The Department of Education's budget is 7.9 per cent. higher than in 200304, reflecting a 43.2 per cent. increase in provision for schools infrastructure and an overall 4.2 per cent. increase on other budgets.

Emergency Cases

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what studies he has commissioned into speeding up the flow of emergency cases through local hospitals.

Angela Smith: Significant work is under way to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of processes for managing flows of emergency patients through hospitals. The Eastern Health and Social Services Board initiated the Improving the Flow of Emergency Admissions project at the Ulster Hospital in January 2003. Building on the lessons learned from this project, and the expertise and work of similar initiatives both in Northern Ireland and Great Britain, senior officials within my Department are progressing a Regional Programme to improve the flow of emergency admissions, ensuring that recognised best practice is implemented across all hospitals in Northern Ireland.

European Working Time Directive

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action will be taken against health trusts that fail to meet the European Working Time Directive targets by August.

Angela Smith: Further to my reply of 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1519W, I can confirm that proposed action against employers who do not comply with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), has not been indicated by the European Commission (EC) at this stage. The EC are currently considering responses to their public consultation on the implications of the Working Time Directive and subsequent legal rulings and action on failure to comply will only be determined after this.
	However, the Department recognises the problems that will arise with the application of the full requirements of the EWTD and is working with HPSS employers and the BMA to ensure compliance.

European Working Time Directive

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which health trusts are compliant with the European Working Time Directive.

Angela Smith: Trusts are currently undertaking a monitoring exercise, which is looking at junior doctors working patterns and rest requirements for both New Deal and European Working Time Directive (EWTD). Responses are due with the Department by early June and a clearer picture will emerge at that stage.
	However, the previous monitoring data indicated that 91 per cent. of junior doctors overall were already working and being trained in less than 56 hours per week, and so were meeting the EWTD requirements for August 2004 in terms of average weekly number of hours worked.

Front-Line Nurses

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is being done to increase the involvement of front-line nurses in departmental policy formulation.

Angela Smith: Front-line nurses have a range of opportunities to contribute to Departmental policy including membership of The Central Nursing Advisory Committee, secondments to the Department's Nursing and Advisory Group, participation in professional forums established by Nursing Officers and Midwifery Advisors from the Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Group and through established consultation procedures.

Infant Deliveries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) mortality and (b) morbidity rates were for (i) normal vaginal deliveries, (ii) caesarean sections and (iii) other deliveries in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The small numbers of maternal deaths in Northern Ireland preclude any robust statistical analysis of maternal death by mode of delivery. Wider literature from within the United Kingdom does indicate that whilst mortality rates for mothers are low no matter how delivered, caesarean section does carry a slightly increased relative risk compared to that for all deliveries.
	Mortality and morbidity sequela are difficult to separate from the primary reasons for performing the caesarean section and detailed information about this is not routinely available.
	With regard to mortality and morbidity in infants, without differentiating the underlying reasons for sections (emergency or planned), it is impossible to establish any direct correlation between mode of delivery and the nature of the subsequent morbidity. The maturity of the infant at the time of the caesarean section is the most important element of its survival and development.

Infant Deliveries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) normal vaginal, (b) caesarean section and (c) other deliveries there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is contained in the table.
	
		
			Mode of delivery 
			 Year of birth (a) Normal vaginal (b) Caesarean section (c) Other Not known Total births (live and still) 
		
		
			 1994  
			 1995 16,775 3,971 2,924 283 23,953 
			 1996 17,055 4,167 2,988 294 24,504 
			 1997 16,345 4,655 2,957 196 24,153 
			 1998 15,656 4,991 3,088 126 23,861 
			 1999 14,773 5,312 2,943 150 23,178 
			 2000 14,706 5,786 2,974 111 23,577 
			 2001 13,662 5,410 2,737 95 21,904 
			 2002 13,251 5,568 2,700 48 21,567 
			 2003 13,375 5,726 2,625 132 21,858 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for 1994 are unavailable.

Irish Language/Culture

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding his Department allocated to support for (a) the Ulster Scots culture and language and (b) the Irish culture and language in each of the last three years, expressed on a per capita basis of those who claim to identify with each.

Angela Smith: This information is not available in the format requested.
	The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure jointly funds the Ulster-Scots Agency and the Irish Language Agency. The Ulster-Scots Agency has a statutory remit to promote Ulster-Scots language and culture. The Irish Language Agency has a statutory remit to promote the Irish language.
	Funding is also available from departmental mainstream programmes for projects which may have an Irish or Ulster-Scots language or culture dimension which cannot be separated from the primary funding objectives.

Jurisdiction of the Visitor Scheme

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from (a) students and (b) higher education institutions regarding the (i) introduction of an independent adjudicator to hear student complaints and (ii) ending of the Jurisdiction of the Visitor Scheme.

Barry Gardiner: On 8 April 2004, the Department for Employment and Learning launched its consultation on proposals to introduce variable deferred fees, access agreements and a review of the student complaints system. The closing date for response is 30 June 2004 and, to date, no responses have been received from students or higher education institutions regarding the introduction of an independent adjudicator to hear student complaints or ending the jurisdiction of the Visitor Scheme.

Language Public Bodies

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the budget for the (a) North/South Language Body and (b) Ulster Scots Agency was in each year since its formation.

Angela Smith: The budget for the North/South Language Body and the Ulster-Scots Agency for each year since its formation is as follows:
	
		 million
		
			  North/South Language Body Ulster-Scots Agency 
		
		
			 2000 7.879 0.667 
			 2001 11.41 1.29 
			 2002 11.97 1.42 
			 2003 12.95 1.54 
			 2004 14.603 1.704

Lough Erne

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce bye-laws to control jet skis and powerboats in Lough Erne.

Angela Smith: Waterways Ireland has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the inland navigable waterways of Ireland principally for recreational purposes. The waterways under the remit of the body are the Barrow Navigation, the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterways and the Shannon Navigation.
	Bye-laws for the regulation of the navigations already exists for Lough Erne under statute law Lough Erne (Navigation) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1978 and Lough Erne (Navigation) (Amended) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1986.
	Waterways Ireland is currently in the process of revising the bye-laws for all their waterways including introducing bye-laws for the Lower Bann. The process will address all aspects of the navigations including jet skis and powerboats and it is hoped to go to public consultation towards the end of 2004.

Love for Life

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the outcome of Love for Life's central funding bid to (a) the Department for Education and (b) the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety will be announced.

Barry Gardiner: The Department of Education will not be providing central funding for the Love for Life programme. The Chief Executive of Love for Life was advised in writing of this decision on 11 May.
	The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is not providing central funding to Love for Life. The Department is presently considering an application for project funding from Love for Life for a project on parent/child communication and the organisation has been asked for clarification on a number of points before a decision can be made.

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines are followed by health trusts wishing to purchase private houses in residential areas for the sole purpose of integrating people suffering from mental health problems; what facility is made for residents in the area to enable them to express their views on the proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: There is no specific guidance issued to Trusts regarding the purchase of private houses in residential areas for the sole purpose of integrating people suffering from mental health problems. However, the Department's Land Transactions Handbook gives practical advice to HSS Trusts regarding conducting land and property transactions.
	Also, there is no specific advice issued to Trusts on what facility is made for residents in the area to enable them to express their views on the proposals. However, HSS Trusts are bound by planning law where facilities have more than six residents. In these cases, the Planning Service applies procedures for public consultation, when Trusts change the use of property or land, or develop new or existing premises.

Midwives

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time midwives were employed in the NHS in Northern Ireland (a) in 1999, (b) in 1994 and (c) on 1 May.

Angela Smith: Figures for the number of full-time midwives employed within Health and Social Services (HSS) Trusts are given in the following table. The latest figures held are as at 31 March 2004. Figures have therefore been supplied as at 31 March 1994, 31 March 1999 and 31 March 2004.
	
		Number of full-time midwives employed within HSS(54) Trusts as at 31March 1994, 31March 1999 and 31March 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 31 March 1994 666 
			 31 March 1999 547 
			 31 March 2004 492 
		
	
	(54) Health and Social Services.
	In addition, as at 31 March 1994 there were 594 part-time midwives (WTE 369.82). As at 31 March 1999 there were 656 part-time midwives (WTE 432.10). As at 31 March 2004 there were 773 part-time midwives (WTE 502.86).

Midwives

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to increase the number of midwives in (a) hospitals and (b) the community.

Angela Smith: Recruitment of midwives is a matter for individual employers on the basis of service need.
	The Department introduced direct entry midwifery training in September 2003 with the first intake of 15 students and continues to provide opportunities for entry to an 18 month shortened programme for qualified nurses40 nurses commenced a programme in November 2003.
	The number of commissioned training places is reviewed annually.

Overseas Nurses

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses from overseas were working for the NHS in Northern Ireland on the latest date for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: Overseas nurses are employed both within the private sector and the HPSS in Northern Ireland but information is only held in respect of HPSS employees. As at 31 March 2004, the total number of overseas nurses employed within health and social services trusts in Northern Ireland was 779. Figures are detailed by trust in the following table.
	
		
			 HSS(55)trust Number 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 30 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 0 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 59 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 14 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust 0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust 50 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 55 
			 Foyle Community HSS Trust 1 
			 Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust 67 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 20 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 54 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 4 
			 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 0 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 228 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 38 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust 114 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 45 
			 Total 779 
		
	
	(55) Health and Social Services.

Paramilitaries (Drugs Trading)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of revenues received by (a) the Provisional IRA, (b) the official IRA, (c) the Irish National Liberation Army, (d) the Ulster Defence Association, (e) the Ulster Volunteer Force and (f) the Loyalist Volunteer Force from illegal dealing and trading in drugs in the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The involvement of paramilitary organisations in organised crime, including trafficking and supply of drugs, has been documented by the Independent Monitoring Commission in its report of 20 April and by the Organised Crime Task Force in its Threat Assessment and Strategy which was published on 11 May 2004.
	It is not possible, however, to estimate with any precision how much revenue paramilitary groups generate from dealing and trading in illegal drugs.

Queen's University

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students began courses at Queen's University's Armagh campus in each year since its establishment.

Barry Gardiner: The details of the numbers of students registered at Queens University Armagh campus each year between 199596 and 220304 is as follows:
	
		
			  Credit Bearing Course Extra Mural Course (P/T) 
		
		
			 199596 63 n/a 
			 199697 137 n/a 
			 199798 219 n/a 
			 199899 184 n/a 
			 19992000 235 94 
			 200001 227 193 
			 200102 271 146 
			 200203 285 28 
			 200304 235 64 
		
	
	The credit-bearing course totals cover a range of largely part-time programmes including BA part-time, Master, diploma and certificate courses.

School Building

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what penalties will be imposed on contracts to build schools awarded through public private partnership if handover dates are not realised; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The terms and conditions under which a private sector contractor delivers services to a school authority through public private partnership, are detailed in the contractual arrangements negotiated between the parties. A PPP contractor normally borrows from banks or other financial institutions in order to pay for the construction of school facilities. The penalty for a contractor failing to deliver school facilities by the target date, which is specified in the contract, is therefore the servicing of a substantial loan while receiving no payment from the school authority. A school authority could seek additional protection in the contract though this would most likely increase the project cost.
	Should a delay be caused by a school authority, compensation may be payable to the contractor.

Schools Funding

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide (a) each primary school head teacher with a direct payment of 55,000 and (b) each secondary school head teacher with a direct payment of 180,000 to spend on school priorities in 200506; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: In his Budget Statement, the Chancellor announced allocations for English schools in 200506 (55,000 for a typical primary school and 180,000 for a typical secondary school). These are not additional allocations but represent the continuation, at 200506 levels, of allocations being made available to English schools in 200405.
	As in England, Northern Ireland schools benefit each year from an additional budget allocation over and above their Local Management of Schools (LMS) delegated budgets. There is on-going provision for this in my Department's baseline for 200506. As the 200506 allocations for English schools do not represent additions to planned allocations, the question of additional allocations for either English or Northern Ireland schools does not arise.

Speech Therapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average expenditure on speech therapy services per head of population in the primary and pre-primary school age group in each of the health trust areas in Northern Ireland was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.

Speech Therapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time for speech therapy services for children in the primary and pre-primary school age group in each of the health trust areas in Northern Ireland was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: Information on average waiting times for speech therapy services for children is not collected centrally.

Speech Therapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many primary and pre-primary school children are awaiting speech therapy services in each of the health trust areas in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Information on the number of children awaiting speech therapy services is not collected centrally.

Speech Therapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the per capita expenditure on speech therapy services in special schools in each of the health trust areas in Northern Ireland was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Speech Therapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average speech therapy provision was in terms of time per child in special schools in each of the health trust areas in Northern Ireland in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Speech Therapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the ability of the health trusts in Northern Ireland to recruit and retain speech therapists.

Angela Smith: In a survey of speech and language therapists conducted by the Department, at 30 September 2003 there was only one long-term vacancy. However, the Department has completed a workforce planning report on the speech and language therapy workforce and its findings indicate that there is a projected shortfall over the next five years. The Department is considering how best to deal with this shortfall, including initiatives to address recruitment and retention issues. As an interim measure, additional funding was provided to increase by 10 the number of student places for speech and language therapy with effect from the 2001/02 academic year and by a further five places from 2002/03. These increased intake levels are being maintained and there are 140 students in training during the current academic year.

Sporting Venues

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken by the Police Service for Northern Ireland to ensure that Windsor Park is maintained as a neutral sporting venue free from sectarian and racist activities.

Ian Pearson: The primary responsibility for ensuring Windsor Park is maintained as a neutral sporting venue free from sectarian and racist activities rests with Linfield Football Club in regard to local matches and the Irish Football Association for international games. The Police Service of Northern Ireland work closely these organisations in developing a safe environment for all spectators.
	Operationally, the PSNI role focuses on crime and disorder outside the ground, and on occasions the deployment of officers if crowd violence occurs.
	It is pleasing to note that the atmosphere during recent international matches has been good with an absence of sectarian and racist chanting. The PSNI believe that this is, in no small part, due to the excellent work carried out by Community Relations officials attached to the Irish Football Association.

Teachers' Pay Dispute

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice has been given to school principals regarding their legal rights and responsibilities in relation to employees who go on strike.

Barry Gardiner: Industrial action short of a strike commenced on 5 January by four of the five teachers' unions. At that stage Employing Authorities issued advice to schools in relation to issues likely to arise from such industrial action.
	To date the teachers' unions have stopped short of strike action. Consequently the Employing Authorities have not issued advice in this regard. Should the teachers' unions give notification of their intention to commence a campaign of strike action, the Employing Authorities will, in advance of this, issue appropriate guidance to their schools.

Teachers' Pay Dispute

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards settling the teachers' pay dispute; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: I recently held separate meetings with the employers and union representatives. At these meetings I made it clear to both sides that the Department has the money in its budget at present to enable backdating to September 2003, providing early agreement is reached to an SDPM Scheme. This is in line with the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry on teachers' pay and would give the 12,500 teachers who are already on the first point of the Upper Pay Scale an extra 1,062 each a year. I also stressed that movement on the Upper Pay Scale has to be accompanied by a performance management scheme, as has been the case in England and Wales since 2000.I also made it quite clear that the money is not available for backdating beyond the Inquiry's recommendations.
	The teacher unions and the employers have been in talks with the Labour Relations Agency, and they are keen to reach an early and realistic resolution. At the most recent LRA meeting the teachers' unions agreed to work together with Management Side to consider and agree a School Development and Performance Management Scheme which is acceptable to both sides.

Waiting Times

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals are awaiting an initial appointment with a hospital consultant.

Angela Smith: The latest available waiting list figures show the position at 31 December 2003, when there were 146,180 people awaiting a first outpatient appointment (including cancellations and deferrals) in Northern Ireland.
	This information is published in the Northern Ireland Waiting List Quarterly Information Release on the first Thursday in March, June, September and December. A copy of this publication is placed in the House of Commons Library or can be obtained from  the DHSSPS website, internet address: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/publications/index.html

HEALTH

Drug Action Teams

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the real terms percentage change in the budget for each drug action team in England was in each year from 199697 to 200304; what the percentage change will be from 200304 to 200405; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Department does not have information centrally on individual drug action team (DAT) budgets for the time period 19962004.
	This is the first Government to make substantial funding available for drug treatment. The pooled drug treatment budget totalled 129 million in 200102. In 200203, the total budget was 195.7 million and this increased to 243.6 million in 200304. This additional funding means that all DATs received a minimum increase of 30 per cent. in 200203, with a further average increase of 24 per cent. in 200304.

Drug Treatment

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Preston are receiving drug treatment.

Melanie Johnson: In 200001, there were a total of 2,874 people receiving drug treatment in the area covered by the drug action team for Lancashire. This is the latest available data. Data broken down by drug action team for 200102 and 200203 has not yet been finalised and published.
	Source:
	DH Statistics

Pregnancy/Sexual Health Statistics

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth how many teenage pregnancies were recorded over the past five years; and how many cases of sexually transmitted diseases were recorded in the same period.

Melanie Johnson: Conceptions in women aged under 18, in England, for the years 1998 to 2002 are shown in the table:
	
		
			  Conceptions 
		
		
			 1998 41,089 
			 1999 39,247 
			 2000 38,699 
			 2001 38,439 
			 2002 39,286 
		
	
	Source:
	Office of National Statistics
	The total number of teenagers (patients who were under 20 years of age) treated for the principle sexually transmitted infections 1 in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England from 1998 to 2002 are shown in the table.
	1  Infectious syphilis, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, uncomplicated chlamydial infection, genital herpes (first attack) and genital warts (first attack).
	
		
			 Sex description 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Female 20,979 23,018 25,225 27,346 29,795 
			 Male 6,530 7,768 9,116 9,694 11,026 
			 Total 27,509 30,786 34,341 37,040 40,821 
		
	
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency, KC60 statutory returns from GUM clinics.

Blackout Clinics/Nurses

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make available provision for blackout (a) clinics and (b) nurses.

Melanie Johnson: On 12 March 2004, the Government announced that a new national service framework chapter on arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death would be published within one year.
	An expert group will be formed to take this work forward and they will consider any issues relevant to blackouts as part of their work.

Body Piercing/Tattooing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with what frequency inspections are carried out on body piercing and tattooing establishments; what the nature of such inspections is; and by whom they are carried out.

Melanie Johnson: Local authorities inspect body piercing and tattooing businesses in relation to the hygiene and cleanliness of premises, practitioners and equipment, and health and safety at work issues. The frequency of such inspections is a matter for local determination and we do not collect information on this centrally.

Body Piercing/Tattooing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations are in place to prevent children aged under 16 years obtaining body piercings and tattoos without their parents' consent; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 12 May 2004
	There is no statutory age of consent for body piercing. Minors are able to give valid consent themselves if they are capable of understanding the nature of the act to be done. A statutory minimum age of consent for tattooing (18 years of age) is specified in the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969.
	The Government have no current plans to introduce legislation to provide for a statutory age of consent for body piercing as this might lead to minors piercing themselves or each other in an unhygienic manner, or to go into disreputable businesses. We keep the position under review.
	The Health and Safety Executive has produced guidelines for local authorities on the enforcement of skin piercing activities. These contain useful advice for local authorities in working with businesses to promote a reasonable approach to age of consent issues.

Care Homes

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding a reduction in the number of inspections required each year by care homes.

Stephen Ladyman: pursuant to his reply, 22 March 2004, Official Report, c. 590W
	I regret my previous reply was incorrect, it should read as follows:
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received one representation regarding a reduction in the number of inspections required each year by care homes.

Childhood Immunisation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the inclusion of Prevenar in the UK childhood immunisation programme.

Melanie Johnson: New studies have been taken forward by the Health Protection Agency for the inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevenar) into the United Kingdom childhood immunisation programme and a decision will be taken at the end of these studies. The timing is dependent on the rate of recruitment of children to these studies.

Children (Chronic Illness)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children with chronic illness suffer from (a) asthma, (b) eczema and (c) respiratory conditions.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected in the form requested. The latest hospital episode statistics for children aged 016 years with these conditions are shown in the table. Admissions may relate to more than one episode for the same child.
	
		Primary Diagnosis: Asthma (ICD-10 diagnosis codes J45, J46), Eczema (L20-L30, B00.0), (Respiratory conditions (J00-J99). Age on admission 016 years. Count of finished admission episodesNHS Hospitals England 200203
		
			 Diagnosis grouping Finished admission episodes 
		
		
			 Respiratory conditions 179,357 
			 Of which:  
			 Asthma 25,166 
			 Eczema 3,876 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished admission episodes
	A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	Diagnosis (Primary Diagnosis)
	The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 200203) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	Ungrossed Data
	Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

Children's Diet

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of school-age children who eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

Melanie Johnson: The latest Health Survey for England (2002) provides data on the percentage of children who eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day. The tables show the percentages for each age, which for children aged five to 15 average 11 per cent. of boys and 12 per cent. of girls.
	In a National Opinion Poll survey in October 2003 regarding the impact of the National School Fruit Scheme, over a quarter of parents reported that their children and families ate more fruit at home after their child's school joined the scheme; and nearly half of all parents thought the scheme has made them more aware of the importance of fruit for a healthy diet.
	
		Percentage of children aged between five and 15 years who consume five or more portions of fruit and vegetables per dayEngland, 200102
		
			 Age Males Females 
		
		
			 5 11 10 
			 6 10 8 
			 7 9 11 
			 8 9 11 
			 9 10 9 
			 10 11 11 
			 11 12 13 
			 12 12 13 
			 13 12 12 
			 14 15 13 
			 15 16 14 
			 Total 11 12 
		
	
	
		Percentage of young people aged 16 to 19 years who consume five or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day
		
			 Age Males Females 
		
		
			 16 13 14 
			 17 15 16 
			 18 13 16 
			 19 13 18 
			 Total 15 18 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures are based on combined data from 2001 and 2002.
	Sources:
	National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) Health Survey for England 2002, the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and the Royal Free and University College Medical School: Volume 1The Health of Children and Young People.

Contraception

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the number of contraceptive injections given to school-aged girls in the last five years;
	(2)  what protocols apply to the giving of the contraceptive injection to school-aged girls;
	(3)  what the primary method of contraception was of teenage girls (a) below the age of 16 years and (b) over the age of 16 years in each of the last five years;
	(4)  for what reasons implants were not used as the primary method of contraception for school aged girls between 199798 and 19992000;
	(5)  what factors influence the decision to give a contraceptive injection rather than the contraceptive pill to school-aged girls.

Melanie Johnson: There has been an increase in the use of contraceptive injections administered in family planning clinics among girls aged under 16, in the last five years. There is currently very low uptake of non-user dependent methods of contraception in women of all ages. Increasing and improving access to all methods of contraception are aims of both the teenage pregnancy strategy and the sexual health and HIV strategy, to reduce rates of unintended pregnancies.
	Decisions about the most suitable type of contraception are for individuals to make in consultation with health professionals. Health professionals can provide contraception to young people under 16, working within an established legal framework, provided they are satisfied that the young person is competent to fully understand the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment involved.
	  The data requested on methods of contraception used by teenage girls, are published in table 2 of the statistical bulletin NHS Contraceptive Services, England: 200203 and in the equivalent table in earlier bulletins, available in the Library and at:
	www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0315.htm
	www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0220.htm
	www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0127.htm
	www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0027.htm
	www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb9930.htm
	Note that these data are available for family planning clinics only. Data from general practitioners are not available by age.
	The first and only available contraceptive implant product was withdrawn from use by the licence holder in 199899, before being replaced by another product which was licensed in 1999, hence low usage in women of all ages at that time.

Correspondence

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the hon. Member for Southend, West's letters of (a) 13 October 2003 and (b) 26 January 2004.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 30 March 2004
	A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 13 May.

Dentistry

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent per capita on NHS dentistry in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997; and what spending is projected for 2004.

Melanie Johnson: Gross fees paid to dentists per capita on general dental service (GDS) dentistry in South Tyneside Primary Care Trust (PCT), the North-East and for England in each year since 1997 is shown in the table. Jarrow constituency is covered by South Tyneside PCT. Figures for 200203 are split between the previous health authorities for the first six months and the new PCT (for South Tyneside) and strategic health authorities (for the North-East) for the later six months. To ensure comparability, these are expressed as an annual rate.
	Expenditure figures for 200304 are not yet available. Under current arrangements, local budgets are not required, or calculated, for 2004. The GDS budget for 200405 is a non-discretionary budget, which is held centrally, and expenditure is determined by dental activity.
	Gross fees cover payments for patient registrations and treatments and exclude additional payments such as superannuation contributions. Gross fees include patient charges.
	These expenditure figures do not cover expenditure in other national health service dental services; the personal dental service, community dental service and hospital dental service.
	
		Gross fees per capita on GDS dentistry for each financial year from 199798
		
			 Financial year South Tyneside(56) North East England 
		
		
			 199798 27.64 27.21 26.12 
			 199899 29.88 29.36 27.68 
			 19992000 30.45 30.28 28.02 
			 200001 31.74 30.83 29.07 
			 200102 33.20 32.17 30.55 
			 200203 (April to September)(58) 33.12 31.53 30.79 
			 200203 (October to March)(58) 34.84 34.91 31.76 
		
	
	(56) For 199798 to 200203 (Apr to Sept.) figures cover Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority (HA) area. From 200203 the figures cover South Tyneside PCT.
	(57) Between 199798 and 200203 (April to September) the North-East includes the following HAs: County Durham and Darlington, Gateshead and South Tyneside, Newcastle and North Tyneside, Northumberland, Sunderland and Tees. From 200203 (October to March), it includes Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and County Durham and Tees Valley SHA.
	(58) Figures for 200203 are split between the previous HAs for the first six months and the new PCT (for South Tyneside) and SHAs (for the North-East) for the later six months. To ensure comparability, these are expressed as an annual rate. Figures have been expressed at an annual rate by multiplying half-year figures by two.

Dentistry

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of dentists offering NHS dental treatment in the Vale of York.

Melanie Johnson: Selby and York Primary Care Trust is working closely with local dentists and the North and East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority to identify opportunities for investment in local dental practices in order to improve access to national health service dentistry.

Dentistry

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) private dentists and (b) NHS dentists there are in the Easington constituency.

Melanie Johnson: The Department does not collect information on the number of private dentists, as this is a matter for individual contractors. There were 14 national health service dentists in Easington in December 2003.

Departmental Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in the Department to work in the communications field, and what the total expenditure on communications for the Department was, broken down by (a) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others, in (A) 199495, (B) 199697, (C) 199798 and (D) 200102.

Rosie Winterton: The number of staff that were employed in the Department's communications field and what expenditure on communications for the Department broken down by Government information and communication service staff and other staff for the financial years 1994 to 2002 can be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	Information on numbers and costs of press officers from 1994 to 2002 is shown in the table.
	
		
		
			  Number Cost ( million) 
		
		
			 199495 14 (59) 
			 199596 17 (59) 
			 199697 17 (59) 
			 199798 15 (60)1,062 
			 199899 15 (60)1,239 
			 19992000 16 (60)1,253 
			 200001 19 (60)1,233 
			 200102 22 (60)1,279 
		
	
	(59) The Department's staffing cost information for press and publicity division for 199497 does not separately identify the cost of the press office or individual press officers. This level of detail has only been available since 199798.
	(60) These figure are for the total staff costs in the Departments media centre. Press officer costs cannot be identified separately.
	Note:
	The increased costs reflect increased/new activity.
	The special advisers' code of conduct sets out the sort of work a special adviser may undertake on behalf of their Minister. This includes communications activity. Details of the costs of special advisers are issued on an annual basis.

Departmental Staff

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what principles govern workplace drug abuse agreements with trade unions in his Department.

Rosie Winterton: The agreed policy is part of the Department's health and safety policy statement.
	The relevant section reads:
	Alcohol and drugs. Recreational drugs are not allowed on the premises. Drugs prescribed by a doctor or over the counter medication should be kept secure.
	If a member of staff were found in possession of recreational drugs on the Department's premises, they would face disciplinary action as well as appropriate police action.

Diagnostic and Treatment Centres

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a diagnostic and treatment centre located in Burnley.

Melanie Johnson: There is no diagnosis and treatment centre located in Burnley. However a treatment centre is located in Manchester.

Diagnostic and Treatment Centres

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a diagnostic and treatment centre located in Preston.

Melanie Johnson: There is no diagnosis and treatment centre in Preston. However, a treatment centre is located in Ormskirk.

Diagnostic and Treatment Centres

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a diagnostic and treatment centre located in Workington constituency.

Melanie Johnson: There is no diagnosis and treatment centre located in Workington.

Disability Discrimination Act

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that the NHS will be in full compliance with the relevant provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by October.

Stephen Ladyman: National health service organisations are responsible for their own compliance with the new, and existing, provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act. The Department is, however, working in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission on a range of measures to support the NHS in assessing and improving progress on disability access. These measures include, for example, ensuring that core practical guidance is readily available to the NHS and contributing to the development of health sector-specific guidance being produced by the Disability Rights Commission.

Drug Research Data Publication

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to give the National Institute for Clinical Excellence powers to compel pharmaceutical companies to provide unpublished drug research data.

Rosie Winterton: We have no plans to do so.

Erectile Dysfunction

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 5 May 2004, Official Report, column 1613W, on erectile dysfunction, if he will ask primary care trusts to collate information on recorded instances of erectile dysfunction, broken down by age group.

Melanie Johnson: We have no plans to do so.

Erectile Dysfunction

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 6 May 2004, Official Report, column 1793W, on erectile dysfunction, if he will redraft Health Service Circular 1999/177 to include guidance on what constitutes severe distress for the purposes of the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Melanie Johnson: Health Service Circular (HSC) 1999/177, issued on 6 August 1999, contains guidance to general practitioners on criteria for determining whether a patient is suffering from severe distress as a result of erectile dysfunction.
	We have no plans to issue further guidance.

Eye Tests (Manchester, Blackley)

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Manchester, Blackley aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests.

Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally.
	In 200203, the total number of national health service sight tests paid for by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority for patients aged 60 and over was 189,900. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.

Food Additives

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what quantities of (a) aspartame, (b) monosodium glutamate and (c) saccharine were used in foods processed in the UK in each year since 1989;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the (a) average daily and (b) annual per capita consumption of (i) aspartame, (ii) saccharine and (iii) monosodium glutamate in each year since 1989.

Melanie Johnson: holding answers 11 May 2004
	I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that when additives are authorised for use maximum use levels are set to ensure the acceptable daily intake (ADI) is not exceeded. The ADI is defined as the amount of a food additive, expressed as mg/kg body weight, that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without incurring any appreciable health risk.
	The ADIs for aspartame and saccharin are 40 and 5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day respectively. An 'ADI not specified' was set for monosodium glutamate reflecting the fact that glutamate is a component of animal and plant protein and represents some 20 per cent. of ingested protein of the normal diet.
	Surveys of additive intake are not conducted on an annual basis, however the following intake data are available from studies conducted between 1991 and 2003.
	In 1991 mean intakes of monosodium glutamate were assessed to be 600 mg per person per day and 1,300 mg per person per day for the general population and school children respectively.
	In 1993 the per capita intake of aspartame, saccharin and monosodium glutamate was assessed to be:
	
		
			  Per capita intake 
		
		
			 Aspartame 19.6 mg/person/day (13 per cent. of ADI) 
			 Saccharin 12.2 mg/person/day (8.2 per cent. of ADI) 
			 Monosodium   glutamate 264.2 mg/person/day (ADI not specified) 
		
	
	The mean intake of aspartame and saccharin by United Kingdom consumers was assessed in 1999 to be:
	
		
			  Adult Children 
		
		
			 Aspartame 5.30 mg/kg bw/day 13 per cent. of ADI 15.91 mg/kg bw/day 40 per cent. of ADI 
			 Saccharin 0.92 mg/kg bw/day 18 per cent. of ADI 2.56 mg/kg bw/day 51 per cent. of ADI 
		
	
	In May 2003, a survey by the FSA reported the intake of intense sweeteners from soft drinks by young children. The mean intake by young children was assessed to be:
	
		
			  Mean intake 
		
		
			 Aspartame 3.38 mg/kg bw/day 8 per cent. of ADI 
			 Saccharin 1 .16 mg/kg bw/day 23 per cent. of ADI 
		
	
	Figures are not collected on the total quantity of additives used in foods processed in the UK.

Food Additives

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations cover the labelling of foods containing (a) aspartame, (b) monosodium glutamate and (c) saccharine, (i) produced in this country and (ii) imported.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 11 May 2004
	The labelling of foods containing additives, including aspartame, monosodium glutamate and saccharin, are covered in the United Kingdom by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. These implement the Food Labelling Directive 2000/13 EC. Foods imported into the UK and sold here would also have to comply with this legislation.

Free Eye Tests

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior citizens took advantage of free eye tests in the area covered by the Easington Primary Care Trust in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003.

Melanie Johnson: Figures for the number of sight tests by primary care trust (PCT) are not available for the years 2002 and 2003. PCTs took over the responsibilities of health authorities in England from October 2002. Data are collected by eligibility as opposed to numbers of senior citizens.
	In 200203 the total number of national health service sight tests paid for patients aged 60 and over in the Co. Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA) for the year 200203 was 92,430. The total eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 243,770. The total number of NHS sight tests paid for by the SHA in 200203 was 225,350
	Sight tests can not be equated to the numbers of patients.

Health Expenditure (Lancashire)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Burnley in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head in the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Burnley, has increased from 600.03 in 199798 to 1,173.57 in 200203 (the latest year available). This does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

Health Expenditure (Lancashire)

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Preston in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head in the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Preston, has increased from 600.03 in 199798 to 1,173.57 in 200203 (the latest year available). This does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

Health Services (West Lancashire)

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in West Lancashire in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 10 May 2004
	The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		NHS doctors within specified organisations for West Lancashire 1997 to 2003  -- Number (headcount)
		
			   1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 All Doctors  242 263 320 326 382 402 448 
			 
			 RW4 Mersey Care NHS Trust 59 103 136 
			 RVT North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust   41 44 16   
			 QC7 Sefton Health Authority 6 6 7 6 5   
			 QC1 South Lancashire Health Authority 8 10 8 6 6   
			 RJP Southport and Formby Community Health Service NHS Trust 24 26  
			 RVY Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust   205 211 223 225 239 
			 REQ Southport and Formby NHS Trust 100 115  
			 RJV West Lancashire NHS Trust 104 106  
			 4AM58 West Lancashire PCG   59 59
			 5F3 West Lancashire PCT 73 74 73 
			 Of which: 
			 General practitioners(61)   59 59 60 64 63 
			 5F3 West Lancashire PCT 60 64 63 
			 4AM58 West Lancashire PCG   59 59
			  
			 Medical and dental staff(62) 242 263 261 267 322 338 385 
			 RW4 Mersey Care NHS Trust 59 103 136 
			 RVT North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust41 44 16  
			 QC7 Sefton Health Authority 6 6 7 6 5   
			 QC1 South Lancashire Health Authority 8 10 8 6 6   
			 RJP Southport and Formby Community Health Service NHS Trust 24 26  
			 RVY Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust   205 211 223 225 239 
			 REQ Southport and Formby NHS Trust 100 115  
			 RJV West Lancashire NHS Trust 104 106  
			 5F3 West Lancashire PCT 13 10 10 
		
	
	'' = Zero
	(61)   All Practitioners (excluding retainers) include QMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS Other, Flexible Career Scheme GPs and GP Returners.
	(62)   Excludes medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are also GPs that work part-time in hospitals.
	Sources:
	1. Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
	2. General and personal medical services statistics.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the specified organisations as at 30September each year -- Headcount
		
			   1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Total Nursing Staff 1,222 1,279 1,312 1,431 1,648 2,263 2,346 
			 RW4 Mersey Care NHS Trust 444 1,123 1,178 
			 RVT North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust475 72   
			 QC7 Sefton Health Authority 2 2 4 15 4   
			 QC1 South Lancashire Health Authority 6 5 5 13 5   
			 RJP Southport and Formby Community Health Service NHS Trust 262 255  
			 REQ Southport and Formby NHS Trust 442 513  
			 RVY South and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust   824 895 921 935 957 
			 RJV West Lancashire NHS Trust 510 504  
			 4AM58 West Lancashire PCG   26 33
			 5F3 West Lancashire PCT 202 205 211 
			 Of which: 
			 Practice nurses   26 33 34 36 34 
			 4AM58 West Lancashire PCG   26 33
			 5F3 West Lancashire PCT 34 36 34 
			 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 1,222 1,279 1,286 1,398 1,614 2,227 2,312 
			 RW4 Mersey Care NHS Trust 444 1,123 1,178 
			 RVT North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust   453 475 72   
			 QC7 Sefton Health Authority 2 2 4 15 4   
			 QC1 South Lancashire Health Authority 6 5 5 13 5   
			 RJP Southport and Formby Community Health Service NHS Trust 262 255  
			 REQ Southport and Formby NHS Trust 442 513  
			 RVY Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust   824 895 921 935 957 
			 RJV West Lancashire NHS Trust 510 504  
			 5F3 West Lancashire PCT 168 169 177 
		
	
	(63)   In April 2002 Mersey Care NHS Trust incorporated staff from Ashworth Hospital, previously coded under Special Health Authorities.
	(64)   In September 2001 there were 524 qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff within Ashworth Hospital. Ashworth Hospital staff cannot be identified separately for earlier years.
	Sources:
	1. Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.
	2. General and Personal medical services statistics.

Hearing-impaired Patients

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to address the problems experienced by deaf or hard of hearing patients who miss NHS appointments due to poor communication;
	(2)  what plans there are to introduce (a) loop systems for hearing aid users and (b) visual displays in (i) reception areas and (ii) consulting rooms in general practitioner surgeries.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, North (Helen Jones) on 10 May 2004, Official Report, column 163W.

Heart Surgery (Manchester, Blackley)

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Manchester, Blackley awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally.

HIV/AIDS

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were suffering from HIV/Aids on the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by age group.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 May 2004
	The latest information on numbers of diagnosed HIV-infected individuals seen for care by the national health service, including breakdown by age, is available from the Health Protection Agency's website at http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics   az/hiv   andsti/publications/sophid2002.pdf.

Immigrant Medical Inspections

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports have been (a) commissioned and (b) received by his Department since 1997 on the usefulness of screening immigrants for TB by X-ray at the ports of entry; and if he will publish them.

Melanie Johnson: A four-month pilot study of the medical inspection function was conducted at Heathrow airport in 1997 which tested an approach whereby immigrants who were high risk for Tuberculosis were screened by the health control unit only if they had no valid United Kingdom address; in other cases the unit simply forwarded their contact details to the districts concerned to arrange screening. The report was distributed to those involved in the study, including Hillingdon health authority. Copies have been placed in the Library.

Immunisation

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the availability of appropriate treatment for children with brain damage caused by immunisations.

Melanie Johnson: I have not received representations on the availability of appropriate treatment for children with brain damage caused by immunisations.

Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to NHS trusts on the criteria to be used in prioritising patients for implantable cardiac defibrillator procedures.

Melanie Johnson: The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) undertook a technology appraisal and published guidance on the use of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) for arrhythmias in 2000. It was circulated to all national health service trusts and it detailed which patients should be considered for the use of ICDs.
	This is currently being reviewed by NICE and further guidance is expected to be published in July 2004.
	A copy of the current guidance has been placed in the Library and can be found on the NICE website at: http://www.nice.org.uk/pdf/nice+defibrillator+ +guidance.pdf

Medical Staff (Manchester, Blackley)

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Manchester, Blackley in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Mid-Essex Hospital Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are waiting for inpatient treatment in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 12 May 2004
	The information requested is shown in the table. These are the latest data available.
	
		Number of people waiting for in-patient treatment (including day cases)
		
			 March 2004 Number 
		
		
			 Total 7,331 
			 911 months 0 
			 12 plus months 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health statistics divisionKH07 returns.

Obese Children

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children were registered as obese in (a) Bolton North East, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) England in the last year for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The available information is shown in the table. The figures are taken from the Health Survey for England for 2002, the latest year for which figures are available. No figures are available for Bolton North East or Greater Manchester.
	
		Obesity prevalence among English childrenAged 2 to 15 with a valid Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement
		
			  Boys Girls All persons 
		
		
			 BMI status
			 Obese(65) 16.0% 15.9% 16.0% 
			 
			 Bases 4,740 4,672 9,412 
		
	
	(65) Equal to or greater than 95th BMI percentile
	Source:
	Health Survey for England 2002

Obesity

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce levels of obesity, with particular reference to young people.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 12 May 2004
	The Government takes the issue of tackling obesity in children very seriously. Prevention is the best long-term approach, by improving diet and promoting physical activity. A variety of initiatives are in place, including the promotion of breastfeeding; reform of the welfare food scheme; action within schools, such as the food in schools programme; the 5 A DAY programme including the national school fruit scheme and action to address sugar, fat and salt levels in the diet. Significant investment is being made to transform physical education, school sport and club links over the next three years.
	Strategies are being developed through the Choosing Health? Choosing a better diet and the Choosing Health? Choosing Activity consultations. Both these consultations will inform the forthcoming White Paper which will include tackling obesity in children.

Osteoporosis

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve services for osteoporosis patients while the National Institute for Clinical Excellence is developing guidance on osteoporosis.

Stephen Ladyman: Services to identify, treat and offer preventative advice are readily available on the national health service. Significant progress has been made in highlighting the importance of preventing the development of osteoporosis and resulting fractures.

Osteoporosis

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what (a) support and (b) resources are available to strategic health authorities to ensure implementation of (i) osteoporosis and (ii) falls strategies;
	(2)  what support is available to primary care trusts forestablishing osteoporosis (a) strategies and (b) services.

Stephen Ladyman: A range of national actions have been taken to support the implementation of integrated falls service required by the national service framework for older people. As outlined in the framework this should include appropriate links to osteoporosis prevention, treatment and care. National support has included asking the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop clinical guidelines on the prevention of falls, and on osteoporosis prevention; the publication of supporting documents How can we help older people not fall again? Implementing the Older People's NSF Falls StandardSupport for commissioning good falls services in September 2003, including cascade training events on the use of the document; and developing and sharing practice through the National Falls Collaborative and Healthy Communities Collaborative on falls. We are continuing to work closely with and support Help the Aged's slips and trips campaign.

Osteoporosis

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's technology appraisal on osteoporosis is implemented.

Stephen Ladyman: National health service bodies are under a statutory obligation to fund treatments recommended in National Institute for Clinical Excellence technology appraisals. We expect primary care trusts (PCTs) to meet their statutory obligations, and strategic health authorities to follow up any allegations of non-compliance. We last reminded PCTs of these obligations in guidance published in January 2003.

Osteoporosis

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of what features are required in a fully integrated falls and osteoporosis service.

Stephen Ladyman: The national service framework for older people, published in March 2001, set out an evidence based service model detailing the essential features of an integrated falls service, this included appropriate links to osteoporosis. A copy of the publication is available in the Library.
	Two evidence based supporting documents have been published: How can we help older people not fall again? Implementing the Older People's NSF Falls StandardSupport for commissioning good falls services; September 2003 and Making the case for investing in falls and fractures preventionA workbook of ideas, February 2004. Copies are available in the Library. Cascaded training of their use was offered to all local health and social care communities.
	The Department asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop separate but linked clinical guidelines on the prevention of falls and the prevention of osteoporosis. These are due for publication in September 2004 and 2005 respectively.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer parliamentary question, ref. 164392 tabled by the hon. Member for Southend, West.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 12 May 2004
	I replied to the hon. Member today.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued concerning the (a) number of and (b) population covered by primary care trusts.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 May 2004
	The New NHS, published in 1997 set out a vision for the national health service and for primary care trusts (PCTs) as a key driver to improve health and make the NHS modern and dependable.
	This was followed by two key guidance documents. The first document, issued in April 1999, Primary Care Trusts Establishing Better Services, sought to address questions about how PCTs would be established and the principles for coverage and size. This was followed up with Primary Care Trusts: Establishment, the preparatory period and their Function, which provided additional guidance on PCT boundaries.
	Neither document specified numbers of, or population to be covered by PCTs. The function of PCTs is to meet local health care needs by making local decisions that respond to the community. PCTs were encouraged to centre around natural communities and to seek coterminosity with other bodies where appropriate. However, the overriding principle for determining a PCT boundary is a coherent and cogent focus on meeting the needs of all people living within that community.

Prostate Cancer

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in removing regional variations in the (a) diagnosis and treatment and (b) outcomes for prostate cancer.

Melanie Johnson: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) 'Improving Outcomes in Urological Cancers' manual was published in September 2002. It aims to ensure that all patients have access to a uniformly high quality of care in the community or hospital no matter where they live. Cancer networks across England are currently drawing up action plans to implement the guidance. Progress in implementing the guidance will be assessed during the next round of peer review due to start later this year.
	In addition, as part of the prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP), all general practitioners in England have been sent an evidence-based resource pack to help them counsel men worried about prostate cancer. The PCRMP is reducing geographical variation across England by: standardising guidelines for GPs; standardising information for patients; and providing explicit quality standards for prostate cancer testing.

Public Appointments (Political Affiliations)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many appointees to the boards of (a) strategic health authorities and (b) primary care trusts have declared political activity for (i) the Labour Party, (ii) the Conservative Party, (iii) the Liberal Democrats and (iv) other political parties; and in each case what percentage this represents of the total number of appointments made;
	(2)  how many councillors have been appointed as (a) chairman and (b) non-executive directors of (i)strategic health authorities and (ii) primary care trusts; and how many declared a political affiliation to (A) the Labour Party, (B) the Conservative Party, (C) the Liberal Democrats and (D) other political parties;
	(3)  how many board members of NHS trusts have been re-appointed to their posts in each of the last five years for which records are available; of those re-appointed, how many have declared political activity for (a) the Labour Party, (b) the Conservative Party, (c) the Liberal Democrat Party and (d) other political parties; and what percentage each category constitutes of the total number of re-appointments;
	(4)  how many appointees to the boards of NHS trusts in each of the last five years have declared political activity for (a) the Labour Party, (b) the Conservative Party, (c) the Liberal Democrats and (d) other political parties; and in each case what percentage this represents of the total number of appointments made;
	(5)  how many councillors have been appointed as (a) chairman and (b) non-executive directors of NHS trusts in each of the last five years; and how many declared a political affiliation to (i) the Labour Party, (ii) the Conservative Party, (iii) the Liberal Democrats and (iv) other political parties;
	(6)  how many members of primary care trusts have been re-appointed to their posts; how many of those who have been re-appointed have declared political activity for (a) the Labour Party, (b) the Conservative Party, (c) the Liberal Democrat Party and (d) other political parties; and what percentage each category constitutes of the total number of re-appointments.

Rosie Winterton: The information is shown in the tables.
	
		Political activity of all current chair and non-executive appointments to the boards of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts
		
			 Strategic health authorities Primary care trusts 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 None 156 76.85 1,071 64.60 
			 Conservative 10 4.93 91 5.49 
			 Labour 32 15.76 396 23.88 
			 Liberal Democrat 3 1.48 71 4.28 
			 Other 2 0.99 29 1.75 
			 Total 203  1,658  
		
	
	
		Political activity of chair and non-executive appointments to the boards national health service trusts
		
			200102   200203 2003 to end of January 2004 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 None 388 70.29 419 75.22 306 73.73 
			 Conservative 16 2.90 24 4.31 24 5.78 
			 Labour 122 22.10 92 16.52 62 14.94 
			 Liberal Democrat 21 3.80 15 2.69 18 4.34 
			 Other 5 0.91 7 1.26 5 1.20 
			 Total 552 100.00 557 100.00 415 100.00 
		
	
	Note:
	Separate information on NHS trusts is not available for the previous two years.
	
		Councillors appointed to the boards of national health service trusts
		
			200102   200203   200304 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Chairs   
			 Conservative 1 11.11 1 20.00   
			 Labour 8 88.89 3 60.00 4 100.00 
			 Liberal Democrat   1 20.00   
			 Other   
			 Total 9 100.00 5 100.00 4 100.00 
			
			 Non-executives  
			 Conservative 4 8.89 6 13.33 3 11.54 
			 Labour 33 73.33 33 73.33 13 50.00 
			 Liberal Democrat 8 17.78 3 6.67 6 23.08 
			 Other   3 6.67 4 15.38 
			 Total 45 100.00 45 100.00 26 100.00 
		
	
	Note:
	Information for the previous two years is not available.
	
		Political affiliation of people appointed to primary care trusts and strategic health authorities who have declared political activity as a councillor
		
			  Chairs  200102  200203 2003 to end of January 2004 
		
		
			 Conservative  1  
			 Labour  7 1 
			 Liberal Democrat  3  
			 Other
			 Total  11 1 
		
	
	
		Political affiliation of people appointed to primary care trusts and strategic health authorities who have declared political activity as a councillor
		
			  Non-executives  200102  200203 2003 to end of January 2004 
		
		
			 Conservative  10 4 
			 Labour  47 11 
			 Liberal Democrat  12  
			 Other  7 1 
			 Total  76 16 
		
	
	
		Political activity of people re-appointed to national health service trusts
		
			200102   200203 2003 to end of January 2004 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 None 146 66.67 174 73.11 151 71.9 
			 Conservative 2 0.91 11 4.62 9 4.29 
			 Labour 59 26.94 44 18.49 38 18.10 
			 Liberal Democrat 10 4.57 7 2.94 11 5.24 
			 Other 2 0.91 2 0.84 1 0.48 
			 Total 219 100 238 100 210 100 
		
	
	Note:
	Information on the previous two years is not available.
	
		Political activity of people re-appointed to the boards of primary care trusts
		
			200102   200203 2003 to end of January 2004 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 None 2 66.67 17 77.27 59 64.13 
			 Conservative   1 4.55 2 2.17 
			 Labour 1 33.33 3 13.64 24 26.09 
			 Liberal Democrat 6 6.52 
			 Other   1 4.55 1 1.09 
			 Total 3 100 22 100 92 100 
		
	
	In November 2002, the National Health Service Appointments Commission (the body responsible for making appointments to NHS boards) instructed the Nuffield Centre at Leeds University to carry out an analysis of the candidates appointed by the Commission and their political activity. The research found that the higher number of Labour activists appointed largely reflected the higher proportion of Labour activists that applied; and did not suggest any systematic preference for one political party over another.

Public Appointments (Political Affiliations)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid in fees to (a) members of primary care trusts, (b) members of strategic health authorities and (c) board members of NHS trusts who have declared political activity for (i) the Labour Party, (ii) the Conservative Party, (iii) the Liberal Democrat Party and (iv) other political parties in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.
	Some members refuse to accept any payment, so it would not be possible to calculate the figure that trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities actually pay out to their board members without going to all the individual bodies for the information. Therefore, the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Public Bodies

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of (a) the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and (b) patients forums will be for each of the next three years.

Rosie Winterton: The funding allocation for 200405 is 33.3 million and, subject to the outcomes of the review of arms length bodies, the planning assumptions for the next three years are that it should remain static.
	It is the Commission's responsibility to ensure that within that settlement, forums are adequately funded to deliver their functions.

Public Bodies

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) PHorum and (b) the Stakeholder Network, including their (i) remits, (ii) budget, (iii) administration budget, including payroll, (iv) number of staff and (v) capital assets.

Melanie Johnson: The National Forum of Non-Governmental Public Health Organisations (NGO Forum) was established by the Department following the publication of the White Paper, 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' (1999). After a review in 2002, it was renamed the 'National NGO PHorum'.
	The PHorum's remit is:
	to provide Government with expertise and advice in developing, implementing and delivering its public health policies for England;
	to facilitate an ongoing dialogue and discussion between the Government and the non-government sector, and
	to consider the effective involvement of NGOs in action to improve health and tackle health inequalities.
	It does not have a separate budget. It has no capital assets. It is managed by the Health Development Agency (HDA) from within the HDA's allocation, on behalf of the Department of Health. The HDA has one member of staff with specific responsibility for administrative work in support of the PHorum.
	The Department is currently looking at the best way of relating to principal stakeholders as part of its overall change programme.

Rituximab

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of Rituximab for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Stephen Ladyman: Rituximab is not licensed in the United Kingdom for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Solvent Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet a delegation from Re-Solv, the Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 11 May 2004
	I am happy to accept the invitation from the hon. Member for Southend, West, to meet with members of Re-Solv, the Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Misuse.

Waiting Lists/Times

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list time in the last seven years for the residents of Preston.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis. The information shown in the table relates to the national health service organisations serving the Preston area.
	
		In-patient waiting lists by provider 
		
			   Patients waiting for admission by month waiting 
			   Unit name  Total 02 Not seen 35 Not seen 68 Not seen 911  Not seen 1214 Not seen 1517 Not seen 18+ Not seen 
		
		
			 199697 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 8,970 4,137 2,352 1,445 1,000 18 15 3 
			 199697 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 1,857 1,079 463 249 66 0 0  
			 199798 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 8,500 4,079 1,969 1,334 787 257 74 0 
			 199798 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 2,121 1,299 537 183 102 0 0  
			 199899 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 7,602 4,154 1,729 1,043 544 132 0 0 
			 199899 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 2,051 1,126 527 248 132 17 1  
			 19992000 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 7,025 4,110 1,701 853 359 2 0 0 
			 19992000 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 1,967 1,228 453 186 90 10 0  
			 200001 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 8,926 5,559 1,987 1,002 378 0 0 0 
			 200102 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 8,891 5,565 2,055 995 276 0 0 0 
			 March 2003 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 8,445 5,473 2,096 711 165 0 0 0 
			 March 2004 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 8,275 5,527 2,123 625 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health KH07
	
		Out-patient provider waiting list data
		
			   GP Referral to consultant waiting list in weeks 
			  Name Not seen 13 to 25 Not seen 26 plus 
		
		
			 199697 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 281 19 
			 199697 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 941 13 
			 199798 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 761 110 
			 199798 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 1,113 235 
			 T99899 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,563 443 
			 199899 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 1,503 714 
			 19992000 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,039 284 
			 19992000 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 855 187 
			 200001 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,904 287 
			 200102 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,653  
		
	
	
		
			 Date Name Not seen 1317 Not seen 1721 Not seen 2126 Not seen 26+ 
		
		
			 March  
			 2003 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 819 157 0 0 
			 2004 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 686 0 0 0 
		
	
	Note:
	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was established 1 August 2002 from the acute services of Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust and Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. For 2001 and 2002, data for both trusts was reported under Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
	Source:
	Department of Health QM08.